Just the sip: ABLE Commission mixes a bitter beverage

Sunday, January 7, 2024

2484

COMMENTARY

Given their general behavior, past and present, I like to think the Oklahoma ABLE Commission offices look somewhat like the comic above: Dark, drab, and generally opposed to fun.

Apparently, the Alcoholic Beverage Law Enforcement Commission has created some (more) confusion about what bartenders are allowed to do while serving alcohol, and the often-maligned agency has provided some emergency rules for Gov. Kevin Stitt to sign.

This latest “emergency” stems from the ABLE Commission’s discovery that the downtown Mahogany Steakhouse has allowed its employees to participate in educational wine tastings. Outraged by this and the realization that — gasp — bartenders have been manipulating air pressure with their finger and a straw to sample cocktails, the ABLE Commission has issued citations in OKC.

Of course, educational tastings are things in which servers and bartenders partake so they can talk intelligently to their customers about the product they’re selling. The rub is that some employees allegedly were consuming up to 18 ounces of wine, but over what amount of time the wine was being consumed has not been reported.

Under Oklahoma statute, employers and employees cannot drink or be under the influence of alcohol while at work, but what exactly constitutes “drinking” seems a little vague in this case. It doesn’t sound like the end of the world to me, but what do I know?

In an interview about the regulations, ABLE Commission Deputy Director Lori Carter — formerly of Mike Hunter’s disgraced Attorney General’s Office — discussed the situation with Fox 25.

“We have to protect the public from alcohol, which is a dangerous drug,” Carter said.

Perhaps bartenders sampling drinks is the end of the world for some, I don’t know. I’m told by NonDoc journalists that the dramatic situation prompted a meeting among parties in Stitt’s office before Christmas, where I am guessing the governor offered limited refreshments. With the downtown Mahogany Steakhouse being a prime location for lobbyists and lawmakers to dine and drink during the legislative session, the ABLE Commission picked an interesting entity to cite for violations.

As far as I can tell, the new rules appear mostly to reinforce existing laws, so I’m not sure if they clear anything up or are just intended to be a reminder as the empire strikes back. I’ll have to crack open a cold Coors and give it some thought.