In September, craft brewers and beer distributors were knocking heads over state regulations some viewed as favoring the interests of large beer distributors over these small brewers:

North Carolina politicians in Raleigh like to say they’re pro-jobs and pro-business. But what happens when lawmakers are forced to pick sides between new, small businesses growing jobs and big legacy businesses trying to hold on to the market share they’ve got? Would it help you to know that the big legacy companies give hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions and the new small businesses are not yet organized? There’s just such a battle brewing in North Carolina over beer – and who gets to distribute and market it. It pits a growing number of small craft brewers against big distributors. And the big distributors who are among the largest campaign contributors have state lawmakers on their side. […]

Hmmm. During this debate, Thom Tillis was serving as speaker of the House, determining what DOES and DOES NOT get a hearing in committee and on the floor. While all of this was going on in Raleigh, cash from adult beverage distributors was piling up in the speaker’s US Senate campaign treasury.

On August 15, the Tillis Senate campaign got $2600 from the VP of Charlotte-based Adams Beverages of NC. On June 19, the campaign got $2000 from the chairman of Greensboro-based R.H. Barringer Distributing Company. On September 9, Tillis for Senate got $1000 from a Goldsboro-based board member of R.A. Jeffreys.

Tillis for Senate got two contributions from the president of Greensboro-based R.A. Jeffreys: $2000 on June 19 and $1000 on August 6. On August 29, Lou Cunningham of Charlotte-based Cunningham Wholesale donated $1000. On June 26, Leigh Fanning of R.A. Jeffreys donated $2600.

On July 30, the VP of Sales for Salisbury-based United Beverage Company donated $250. The Goldsboro-based CEO of R.A. Jeffreys donated twice: $250 on August 29 and $500 on September 9. William Kennedy of Smithfield-based Mutual Distribution donated $2000 on September 16. The EVP of Raleigh-based Long Beverage donated $1000 on August 15 to Tillis for Senate.

On August 6, the owner of Coastal Beverage Company in Wilmington donated $1000 to Tillis for Senate. On June 13, William Powell of R. H. Barringer donated $1000. On June 17, Dean Proctor of Hickory-based United Beverages donated $2600. On September 16, William Riley of Clayton-based Mutual Distribution donated $2000. On August 15, Larry Robinson of Newton-based United Beverage donated $1000.

On August 15, Hickory-based beer wholesaler Dana Truitt donated $1000 to Tillis for Senate. On August 26, Rebecca Ward of Hickory-based United Beverage donated $1000. On August 15, Salisbury resident Paul Weisler of United Beverage donated $1000.

But, wait. There’s MORE: