Top Texas alcohol regulator resigns after reports of alcohol-fueled junkets
The downfall of Sherry Cook, who announced her resignation as executive director of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission on Monday, began with an illustration TABC staff created — during work hours, on work computers, with input from senior staff — to commemorate a work trip to California.
Cook is the TABC official on the left holding up a bottle of Lone Star, shouting "Woo Hoo!!!" In late March, Jay Root at The Texas Tribune uncovered the illustration while reporting that Cook and other top leaders of the Texas alcohol licensing and regulatory commission had spent at least $85,000 since 2011 on out-of-state travel, largely to meetings of the National Conference of State Liquor Administrators (NCSLA) in posh hotels in places like Hawaii, Florida, and that $8,000 trip to San Diego. The Texas Tribune report led to a hearing last week before the Texas House ethics committee at which Cook and other TABC leaders were grilled about their use of taxpayer funds.
NCSLA is a trade group primarily financed by the liquor industry, and it also kicked in funds for the TABC travel, as well as paying for the open bar at its conferences. TABC officials told The Texas Tribune that the conferences are necessary to network and keep abreast of what other states are doing in alcohol regulation, but critics call the alcohol-fueled NCSLA junkets a way for the beer and liquor industry to maintain control of Texas' sometimes arcane alcohol regulations. "The TABC is ... not protecting the consumer," said Howard Wolf, a lawyer in Austin. "It's not protecting the taxpayer. It's protecting these very wealthy industry companies that own and dominate the industry."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Cook, 57, has worked at TABC since 2006 and held the top job since 2012. She painted her departure as a retirement, effective May 23.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
NCHIs: the controversy over non-crime hate incidents
The Explainer Is the policing of non-crime hate incidents an Orwellian outrage or an essential tool of modern law enforcement?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Islamic State: the terror group's second act
Talking Point Isis has carried out almost 700 attacks in Syria over the past year, according to one estimate
By The Week UK Published
-
Sudoku hard: January 12, 2025
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden expected to block Japanese bid for US Steel
Speed Read The president is blocking the $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battle
Speed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rally
Speed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Enron mystery: 'sick joke' or serious revival?
Speed Read 23 years after its bankruptcy filing, the Texas energy firm has announced its resurrection
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraud
Speed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strike
Speed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published