American Beverage Institute
Encyclopedia
The American Beverage Institute is a restaurant industry trade group
which opposes the use of anti-drunk-driving checkpoints and other measures whose proponents claim reduce the incidence of drunk driving. They are actively involved in public relations
campaigns supporting various interests of the restaurant industry, particularly with respect to alcohol consumption. It is based in Washington, D.C.
and is managed by Berman and Company
, a public relations firm owned by lobbyist Richard Berman
.
The following is from their website:
The group sometimes sends letters or columns to newspapers arguing that laws that have been adopted to fight drunk driving are ineffective or inappropriate.
Candy Lightner
, the founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving
, joined the group in 1994, saying she supported laws punishing repeat offenders and those who drove after imbibing large amounts of alcohol rather than steadily dropping breath testing thresholds to outlaw progressively lower amounts of social drinking.
Industry trade group
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association or sector association, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry...
which opposes the use of anti-drunk-driving checkpoints and other measures whose proponents claim reduce the incidence of drunk driving. They are actively involved in public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
campaigns supporting various interests of the restaurant industry, particularly with respect to alcohol consumption. It is based in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and is managed by Berman and Company
Berman and Company
Berman and Company is a Washington, D.C. based public affairs and non-profit management firm founded by lawyer and lobbyist Rick Berman. In addition to its public relations clients, Berman and Company runs several industry-funded non-profit organizations such as the Center for Consumer Freedom and...
, a public relations firm owned by lobbyist Richard Berman
Richard Berman
Richard Berman is a Washington, D.C.-based lawyer, public relations executive, and lobbyist. Through his public affairs firm Berman and Company, Berman runs several industry-funded non-profit organizations such as the Center for Consumer Freedom and the Center for Union Facts...
.
The following is from their website:
- "...some anti-alcohol activists are seeking increasingly harsh restrictions on social drinkers. This can be evidenced in the transition from the common sense "Don't drive drunk" message to the similar-sounding but entirely different "Don't drink and drive" slogan. The American Beverage Institute is correcting this prohibitive message with a more appropriate message: Drink Responsibly. Drive Responsibly."
The group sometimes sends letters or columns to newspapers arguing that laws that have been adopted to fight drunk driving are ineffective or inappropriate.
Candy Lightner
Candy Lightner
Candace Lynne "Candy" Lightner is the organizer and founding president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving . On May 3, 1980, Lightner’s 13-year-old daughter, Cari, was killed by a hit-and-run driver at Sunset and New York Avenues in Fair Oaks, California.The leniency of the sentence given to the...
, the founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving is a non-profit organization in the United States that seeks to stop drunk driving, support those affected by drunk driving, prevent underage drinking, and overall push for stricter alcohol policy...
, joined the group in 1994, saying she supported laws punishing repeat offenders and those who drove after imbibing large amounts of alcohol rather than steadily dropping breath testing thresholds to outlaw progressively lower amounts of social drinking.