Bourbon tour scandal overblown, says conservative group that sponsored trip
The conservative group that hosted a bourbon tasting tour for state lawmakers and lobbyists says a complaint about their behavior at one Kentucky distillery is greatly exaggerated.
The complaint, posted Saturday anonymously on Reddit, said the group of 33 had booked a private tasting event, but many were already inebriated when they arrived on their tour bus. The poster said members of the group were rude, disruptive, and even vomited in the sink without offering an apology or helping to clean it up.
Greater Carolina spokesman Jonathan Felts said in a statement Tuesday that the poster's account of boorish behavior is overblown.
"One attendee was a bit queasy upon arrival due to getting car sick enroute because the air conditioner was not working on the bus," Felts said. "The person then, fortunately, made it to the first thing that had a drain and vomited. Upon completion of the vomiting, the person and friends/colleagues helped to clean up."
Felts's statement did not address the level of intoxication of attendees.
Felts dismissed the original poster as a "social media troll," but the poster's history on Reddit indicates they've worked in the bourbon hospitality industry for several years. Documents provided by the poster to WRAL News confirm they were at the event.
The spokesman said the trip was a fundraising event for which donors paid in return for access to lawmakers.
"No offense to think-tankers and poli-sci profs but Greater Carolina deals in public policy so, yes, our donors want to talk to policymakers. Legislators were there," Felts said, declining to name them.
The group is a 501(c)4, which means it's a nonprofit that gets involved in political causes. Donations to 501(c)4s are not tax-deductible, and they're not required to disclose their donors.
Felts told WRAL News he was not present at the event. He declined to be interviewed for this story.
