The Illinois Liquor Control Commission, Wednesday, released a new set of documents related to the ongoing Anheuser-Busch, Wholesaler Equity Development Corporation (WEDCO) and City Beverage dispute.
The two documents include a brief filed on behalf of the Miller distributors in Illinois and one filed by the Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois. Both are amicus briefs, which are filed by parties interested in the outcome of a case but aren’t directly named.
Both briefs support the claim by the Illinois Liquor Control Commission’s legal counsel that the Craft Brewer Act – signed into law last summer – prohibits Anheuser-Busch from holding a minority interest in Illinois distributor City Beverage.
Here’s a snippet from the Miller brief:
The ILCC legal counsel cited Anheuser-Busch and its wholly owned subsidiary WEDCO, over the summer, for violating the Illinois Liquor Control Act by holding an interest in City Beverage. The citation calls on AB and WEDCO to divest its 30-percent stake in City, which operates four wholesalers in the state.
The case appears to still be on track for a resolution early next month. The ILCC is scheduled to meet October 1st and, if necessary, October 2nd to reach a decision on the matter.
As always, documents are below.
Miller Distributors Brief:
[gview file=”https://www.guysdrinkingbeer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Miller-Distributors-Brief.pdf”]Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois Brief:
[gview file=”https://www.guysdrinkingbeer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/ABDI-Brief.pdf”]