Oregon Republican Committee Broke State Liquor Laws By Auctioning High-End Bourbons Like Pappy Van Winkle and Blanton’s

The Columbia County Republican Central Committee violated state law by auctioning off rare bottles of Blanton's and Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon, a state investigation found, as reported by the Oregonian on Tuesday. The committee, headed by chair Traci Brumbles, was investigated by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission, which claims fundraisers signed a permit that explicitly forbade the auction of distilled spirits. Events organized by the committee — dubbed "Bourbon in the Barn" — reportedly raised $35,000 to back local candidates for sheriff, the county port commission and the Oregon Legislature. The announcement comes on the heels of an unprecedented uptick in bourbon-related scandals within the state. Last week, the same commission wrapped its investigation into six senior officials accused of "diverting" rare liquor for personal use. While that case revolved around spirits obtained from a state lottery, the spirits sold at Columbia County fundraisers were sourced from Brumbles herself, who owns a state-regulated liquor store in the area, according to the Oregonian. According to Facebook posts made by Brumbles and the committee, the fundraising events began in 2022. Brumbles advertised a "chance to purchase" rare picks of Pappy 12 Year, Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 11-Year, Stagg Jr. 130.9-Proof and Little Book Chapter 5. In another post, a shelf stacked with 49 bottles was seen to include E.H. Taylor Jr., W.L. Weller and Blanton’s, resale prices of which regularly reach into the thousands. The fundraiser was touted as a cushy get-together featuring an expert-guided bourbon tasting paired with pizza and appetizers. Tickets were sold at $100 each. According to OLCC records, authorities were alerted to the committee's events by Drew Layda, a Republican candidate for Oregon's 31st House District. Layda wrote in a Facebook post celebrating the OLCC's findings: "I do not lie. I expose corruption, wherever it hides." The investigation will now move up to administrative hearings that may result in fines and a suspension of Brumble's liquor license. [botmc-promo]