Campaign 2010

Feb 12, 2010

It’s Miller Time: Craig Miller Wants You to Have Another Drink for the Road

Democrats today raised serious concerns about potential Republican Congressional Candidate Craig Miller’s long-time record of supporting drunk driving. While running restaurants that served alcohol, Miller consistently opposed regulations against driving with alcohol in your system. He attacked organizations, like Mothers Against Drunk Driving, for pushing the initiative. Miller went so far as to say that “the day the American public feels they are committing an illegal act by consuming an adult beverage and driving home will be the day our industry is hurt.”


“It’s increasingly clear that Craig Miller is ok with families being in danger on the roadway as long as he gets his payday,” said Jesse Ferguson, Southern Regional Press Secretary at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Craig Miller doesn’t care who he hurts as long as he sends the customer out the door with another drink for the road and their money in his hands. With nearly a thousand deaths to drunk driving every year in Florida alone, Florida families won’t elect someone who would rather protect his corporate profits than regulate this kind of dangerous behavior.  Florida families value their safety too much to make it Miller Time in Washington any time soon.”


National Republicans are encouraging Miller to enter the race for Florida’s 24th district but his entrance has been marred about questions surrounding his past work history. Last week, Democrats raised concerns about Miller’s record of failure as the CEO of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse that promoted the Board of Directors to dismiss him because they were “displeased with Miller’s financial stewardship of the company.” [Orlando Sentinel, 2/4; Nation’s Restaurant News, 5/26/08]


Background

 

  • Miller opposed efforts to crack down on drunk driving because it would hurt business.  In 2001 Nation’s Restaurant News reported that Miller criticized the efforts of Mother’s Against Drunk Driving to crack down on drunk driving and said that it may hurt business. He supported a group of restaurant operators that expressed “anger at the plans of liquor industry groups to support Mothers Against Drunk Driving” to mandate a federal blood alchohol level.
    • "I'm in the adult beverage business," said Craig Miller, president and chief executive of Uno Restaurant Corp. "I serve alcoholic beverages because my guests want them. And if laws are passed, supported by a business partner of mine, that criminalize the behavior of my guests, then that doesn't sit well with me." [Nation’s Restaurant News, 12/17/01]

 

  • Miller opposes all legal limits for alcohol on the roadways because it hurts the restaurant and bar industry. Miller also said, "Once 0.08 becomes law, why not 0.05 or 0.02?” Miller asked. “The day the American public feels they are committing an illegal act by consuming an adult beverage and driving home will be the day our industry is hurt by all of this" [Nation’s Restaurant News, 10/16/00].

 

 

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