Jonathan Newman, the ex-chairman of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, has made no secret that he is no fan of his ex-employer.
But on Tuesday morning, he will make it crystal clear to anyone with lingering doubts, joining Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R., Allegheny) at The Wine School of Philadelphia to call for yanking the state out of the business of selling alcohol.
"It’s a remnant," Newman said of the LCB in an interview Monday. "And no matter how you try to modernize the system, it is inherently anti-consumer and should be privatized."
Turzai is pushing legislation in Harrisburg to auction off both the retail and wholesale operations of the Liquor Control Board, and is trying to amass support for the effort, which has failed time and time again over the last four decades.
The top House Republican has Gov. Corbett on his side - or at least, on paper he does, since Corbett has not endorsed the legislation but has said he favors privatization.
Getting Newman, who once ran the whole shop, could provide some extra ammunition, particularly with oenophiles who thought he was the cat's meow when he chaired the Liquor Control Board. Newman was widely credited with bringing more quality wines to state-run stores, including ones bought at discount and featured in "Chairman's Selection" specials.
Privatization critics are quick to point out that Newman could have a financial stake in privatization, as he now runs a business that supplies out-of-state wine retailers with discounted wines.
But the former LCB chairman says such "attacks" are baseless and are typical of those who have no real argument for keeping the system intact.
Newman left the job in 2007 after a very public flap with then-Gov. Rendell over the governor's push to appoint Joe Conti. a former state senator,as CEO of the liquor board.
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