Distilled Spirits Council spent $1.2 million lobbying in 4Q on underage drinking, marketing

Distilled Spirits group spent $1.2M lobbying in 4Q

WASHINGTON — The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States Inc., whose members include Bacardi USA Inc. and Brown-Forman Corp., spent nearly $1.2 million in the fourth quarter lobbying on drunk driving prevention, food safety and other issues, according to a recent disclosure form.

That’s about even with what the group spent in the year-ago period and slightly more than the nearly $1.1 million it spent in the third quarter of 2009.

The trade group also lobbied on alcohol sales to the military, marketing, federal excise taxes, deferring taxes on foreign income and other matters in the October-through-December period, according to the disclosure form filed Jan. 20 with the House clerk’s office.

The group lobbied both arms of Congress, according to the report.