Texas: State investigating whether TABC violated liquor laws at state convention

Source: Chron

By Carol Christian

December 2, 2016

A complaint filed with the state alleges that the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission allowed the sale of alcoholic beverages without a permit or license at a conference it hosted in September, 2016, for a group of liquor administrators.

The state alcohol commission’s own watchdog is looking into whether the agency violated Texas laws by selling alcoholic drinks without a license at a convention of liquor administrators.

“We are investigating it right now,” Chris Porter, spokesman for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, said Friday.

The investigation is being conducted by the commission’s Office of Professional Responsibility, said Porter, who declined to comment further while the investigation is in process.

The complaint, filed Nov. 7 by Darryl Darnell of Georgetown, alleges that the TABC’s executive director allowed the sale and service of alcoholic beverages at the National Conference of State Liquor Administrators.

Hosted by the TABC, the conference took place Sept. 25-28 at the Radisson Hotel and Suites in Austin, according to the complaint.

Paid admission to the conference included alcoholic drinks served in the hospitality suite hosted by the TABC, according to the complaint.

“The alcoholic beverages were restricted only to paying conference attendees,” the complaint states. “TABC has advised that there is no record of an alcohol license or permit being issued for this event.”

Although Porter said he couldn’t comment on that specific complaint, he said the law in general allows anyone to give away alcohol without a permit as long as no money changes hands.

“Nail salons do it quite frequently,” he said. “You can give away alcohol without having to have a permit as long as you are prepared to give it to any adult of legal age, whether they bought a ticket to the event or not.”