Something appears to be brewing at the Boston Beer Co., where its leader and founder, Jim Koch, has been pouring political donations into state lawmakers’ coffers and his top execs and lobbyists are closely following suit, a Herald review found.
Koch, the billionaire brewmaster behind the Samuel Adams brand, has sprinkled as many as 14 ?donations to legislators since the start of 2015, ?often under his full name, Charles James Koch. The total is more than he’s given in personal state contributions in the previous three years combined, according to campaign finance records.
His political giving included maximum $1,000 donations to Speaker of the House Robert A. DeLeo, Senate President Stanley C. Rosenberg and Senate budget chief Karen Spilka — three Beacon Hill leaders who are a common target for well-heeled donors.
But records show Koch also gave maximum donations to Boston state Reps. Aaron M. Michlewitz and Michael J. Moran, and lesser amounts to an array of lawmakers.
Koch’s spouse, Cynthia A. Fisher, who is a Boston Beer Co. board member, also gave the $1,000 maximum to DeLeo and Moran, records show.
The Boston Beer Co. isn’t a stranger to donations. During the 2014 cycle alone, company officials had a combined $117,750 in federal political donations, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. And the $50,500 that’s been spent thus far this year on state lobbying isn’t out of line with previous years.
But it’s not entirely clear what’s driving the recent, targeted surge in contributions.
A bill filed by state Rep. Alice Hanlon Peisch that would loosen the rules on whom craft brewers can distribute to has emerged on Beacon Hill, but it’s the third straight session it’s been filed. And while many of the lawmakers donated to by Koch are co-sponsors, there are many others backing the bill to whom he didn’t cut a check.
Jessica Paar, a spokeswoman for the Boston Beer Co., said Koch was traveling yesterday and she wasn’t sure if other company ?executives were available to comment.
The donations were part of a flood into DeLeo and Rosenberg’s coffers.
DeLeo raised nearly $415,000 in the first six months of this year — the most he’s ever raised in the same time frame — while records show Rosenberg hauled in $264,000 in his first months atop the ?Senate.
