The Intoxication of Gifts and Fellowship
<a href="http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110731/NEWS02/107310355/How-Chr…; target="”_blank”">A
very lengthy article in yesterday's <i>News Journal</i></a> looks at the
history of relations between Delaware legislators and Christopher
Tigani, formerly the top executive with Delaware's top liquor
distributor. The article provides an instructive look at corporate and personal
influence.<br>
<br>
The story is summed up in a former state senator's words, "People in
Dover [the state capital] become intoxicated with power, and Tigani brought more
intoxicants."<br>
<br>
The legislators' attitude is summed up in the words, "Nobody's going
to influence me for a keg of beer."<br>
<br>
Elected officials came to the distributor whenever they wanted, and
carted off beer and liquor. "A familiar sight was Tigani relaxing
over drinks with Senate power brokers in the pro tem's office after
session." But legislators said they had no idea where the liquor
came from. Nor, apparently, did they ask. Or need to ask.<br>
<br>
Tigani did not register as a lobbyist, but spent a great deal of
time with legislators, taking them, by the busload, to football games,
Jimmy Buffett concerts, and NASCAR races. He provided free liquor
and discounted food to campaign events. He provided free employees
for campaign duties. He flew a governor to a conference in Quebec
City, and no disclosure was made by Tigani (since he didn't register
as a lobbyist) or by the governor, because, as the governor said,
when the expenses ($18,000) were divided between all participants,
"it was not expensive enough that we had to report it" (the bottom
limit was $200).<br>
<br>
What did the liquor distributor get for all his trouble? "Every
piece of legislation in the last decade that Tigani either supported
or opposed went his way. Between 2008 and 2009, the General Assembly
raised nearly every tax on the books — except the alcohol tax.
Tigani successfully lobbied for Sunday sales, although it was
fiercely opposed by Teamsters Local 326, which represents drivers,
warehouse workers and mechanics in the liquor industry." And
Delaware wineries were required to sell exclusively through liquor
distributors.<br>
<br>
"In 2004, when Tigani needed a site in Milford to expand the
company's midstate warehouse operation, he went right to the top.
Very quickly, an urgent email referred to as a 'high priority
Governor's request' went out from the Delaware Economic Development
Office. ... Tigani got a sweet, long-term land lease for the company
on Del. 1 in Milford, and before long, an entrance was carved to the
site off the limited-access highway."<br>
<br>
This year, state legislators finally legalized Tigani's practice of
providing free liquor to campaign events. Before that, they said they didn't realize it was illegal.<br>
<br>
But Tigani is no longer in charge of the distributor. In June, he
admitted to having laundered campaign contributions through his
company's employees. In other words, he was found to have personally violated the law, but his role at the center of an ongoing and far more damaging institutional problem was not enforced.<br>
<br>
According to the article, there was one thing that stood out among
all that Tigani bestowed on the state's legislators. A keg of beer
may not influence a legislator, but years of handing out
liquor and contributions, as well as the more important fellowship of a
rich, charismatic man can (and did) make a huge difference.<br>
<br>
It is
natural to deny such influence, but we are all influenced, often intoxicated, by someone
special who gives us gifts and special attention. It's only human.
It shouldn't be so hard to admit that we're human and that, because
of this, there have to be good ethics laws to prevent our humanness
from being tested.<br>
<br>
Robert Wechsler<br>
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics<br>
<br>
203-859-1959