RALEIGH - The sometimes controversial chairman of the board that regulates North Carolina liquor sales held a campaign event at his home this month for gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue, even as Perdue was distancing herself from the liquor industry and speculation that she had promised to reappoint the chairman if she's elected.

Doug Fox, chairman of the N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, held a Perdue campaign event at his home April 18. The event came two months after a liquor company executive sent e-mail to other liquor brokers asking them to contribute to Perdue's campaign because she would reappoint Fox and ensure changes that benefit the industry.

Fox initially denied he was raising money for Perdue during an interview on the day of the event at his home but then responded: "I'm not going to answer that."

Perdue said last week that the event was a "meet and greet," not a fundraiser.

"It was local people," Perdue said, "a lot of folks I hadn't met."

Paul Criscuolo, a vice president with Miami-based Southern Wine & Spirits, sent an e-mail message Feb. 14 to nine recipients who included several representatives of other liquor brokers or liquor companies. In it, he said electing Perdue was the key to ensuring changes beneficial to the industry.

"It is vital that Lt. Governor Perdue wins the Democratic nomination and then captures the Governorship if this needed reform will take place," Criscuolo wrote. "If this happens, Chairman Fox should be reinstated. With that we can envision off-premise tastings, a new [state] warehouse and various advertising reforms."

Perdue's campaign staff would not say whether Fox has been raising money for her. The campaign's attorney, though, sent a letter to Criscuolo in February, telling him to stop the e-mail. The lawyer, John Wallace of Raleigh, wrote that the campaign would not accept any money generated by the e-mail and that statements in it about potential appointments were "unacceptable" and "not condoned" by the campaign.

Three of the recipients of the e-mail did not return phone calls this week. Kirt Clemens, another recipient and a vice president with Southern Wine & Spirits, refused to comment on whether he gave money to Perdue's campaign.

Liquor and beer

North Carolina historically has imposed tougher regulations on liquor sales than on beer and wine sales. Fox, ABC chairman since 2004, has been pushing to bring liquor down to the same regulatory level under the principle that any alcoholic drink can impair the consumer. In 2005, the commission lifted a ban on billboard advertising for liquor.

He also is in line to become chairman of the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association at the end of May. The group is effectively a trade association for states that operate government-run liquor stores. The organization sponsors a variety of conferences and trips each year, including overseas excursions that typically include the association chairman.

If the next governor appoints an ABC chairman, it is unlikely Fox would be able to serve out a term as chairman of the national group.

Fox did not return calls left last week and this week at his Wilmington law office, the state ABC commission and on his cell phone.

Criscuolo's office said last week that he was out of the country until early May.

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