If McDonnell’s request to privatize booze had passed, would we be having ABC enforcement headlines?

By Lynn R. Mitchell

In 2010 I wrote “The case for ABC privatization: Why is Virginia in the booze business?” that talked about Governor Bob McDonnell’s belief that government should not be in the business of selling alcohol but should, instead, concentrate on the core functions of government.

My question: If the General Assembly had rid Virginia of the ABC albatross, would we be having the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) officers making headlines like the one last week in Charlottesville with a UVa student Martese Johnson who ended up with 10 stitches in his head? And the incident that occurred two years ago with UVa student Elizabeth Daly who was wrongly arrested for buying sparkling water that was mistaken for beer by ABC officers?