The thirst for rare bottles of bourbon has cost the executive director of Oregon’s Alcohol and Marijuana Regulatory Agency and other top officials their jobs.
An internal investigation by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission, obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday through a public records request, concluded that Executive Director Steve Marks and five other agency officials marketed sought-after bourbons, including Pappy Van Winkle’s 23-year-old whiskey. was removed. , for their personal use.
The investigation stated that the officials were paying for whiskey that could cost thousands of dollars a bottle, but had used their knowledge and connections at the commission to obtain it, and as a result the public was being exposed to expensive alcohol. deprived. The commission’s investigation noted that Oregon statutes were violated, which prohibit public officials from using confidential information for personal gain.
Oregon’s Gov. Tina Kotek on Wednesday asked the agency’s board of commissioners to remove Marks and the other implicated officers, alleging they “abused their position for personal gain.”
“This behavior is completely unacceptable. I will not tolerate blatant violations of our government ethics laws,” Kotek said in his letter to the board of commissioners.
In response to the investigator’s questions, Marks denied that he had violated Oregon ethics laws and state policy. However, he admitted that he had been given “somewhat” preferential treatment in obtaining whiskey as a commissioned employee. Marks and other officials said that they did not resell the whiskey they obtained.
“This incident underscores the importance of public accountability,” said agency spokesman Mark Pettinger. “OLCC will need to work on rebuilding and restoring our public trust … and complying with Oregon’s ethics laws.”
After taking office last month, Kotek, a Democrat who was the longtime Oregon House speaker, asked for Marks’ resignation, but no reason was announced. Kotek said that he came to know about this business later.
According to a commission spokesperson, the board of commissioners is appointed by the governor and in turn selects the executive director. The next regular meeting of the commissioners is next Wednesday. The agency is the state’s third largest revenue generator.
Kotek has asked Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum to conduct an independent civil investigation of any wrongdoing and recommend stronger protocols to ensure compliance with ethics laws.