Oregon’s liquor chief resigns over bourbon scandal

Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission Executive Director Steve Marks noted in his resignation letter that Gov. Tina Kotek had asked him to resign. He said his resignation was effective at 5 p.m. Wednesday. The letter of resignation to the OLCC Board of Directors was first reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

The liquor officials told an inside investigator they would pay for the whiskey, which can cost thousands of dollars a bottle, but they are accused of using their knowledge and connections at the commission to obtain the products. Marks and the other officers denied reselling the whiskeys they received.

Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum on Friday announced a criminal investigation into allegations that senior officials at the state’s alcohol and marijuana regulator, the state’s third-largest revenue stream, violated ethics laws.

The release of the top-shelf whiskey to state agency heads deprived well-heeled whiskey lovers of their bourbons and violated several Oregon laws, including one that prohibits officials from using confidential information for personal gain, the commission’s investigation said.

Officials allegedly had very limited bottles of premium bourbon routed to a liquor store, often in Milwaukie, a Portland suburb where the commission’s headquarters are located, and would reserve them for later pickup. They said they used the whiskey for their own use or as a gift.

During the internal OLCC investigation, Marks denied violating Oregon ethics laws and state policy. He admitted, however, that he had been given “partial” preferential treatment when sourcing the whiskey as a Commission employee.

The board of commissions is appointed by the governor, and in turn elects the executive director, according to a commission spokesman. The next regular meeting of the commissioners is on Wednesday.