Pennsylvania has pulled Russian vodkas from state-run liquor stores in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The move actually hurts Pennsylvania and does next to nothing to affect Russia.
PLCB chairman Tim Holden, of St. Clair, obliged Governor Tom Wolf’s pointless request on Sunday, announcing that about 8 products won’t be sold through the Fine Wine & Good Spirits shops across the state.
Pennsylvania joins several other states across the country that still operate liquor stores rather than allowing private business owners the privilege of doing it.
Pennsylvania Pulls Russian Vodka from State Store Shelves
It’s really ironic that a state insisting on controlling a certain industry as Pennsylvania does with its liquor would boycott products from Russia.
And not only that, the whole idea of not selling the Russian spirits the state already purchased through the LCB makes no sense. The Russians already have the money and by allowing the liquors affected by the boycott to become dead stock, Pennsylvania is actually hurting itself.
Wolf, as he often is, is very proud of himself for this latest pointless action. In a statement released at the time he requested Holden remove the products from LCB shelves, Wolf said, “I have joined with leaders across the nation and across the world in condemning these attacks and expressing support for the people of Ukraine.
“I appreciate the board’s efforts to quickly identify Russian-sourced products currently being sold at Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores. I urge the board to take these further actions as a show of solidarity and support for the people of Ukraine, and an expression of our collective revulsion with the unprovoked actions of the Russian state,” Wolf added.
It didn’t take long for Holden to respond to Wolf’s request. And it probably took just as long for state store workers to remove Russian products from shelves. That’s because there aren’t too many Russian spirits in FWGS stores.
Before today, the only Russian products widely available in Pennsylvania were a pair of vodkas:
- Russian Standard
- Ustianochka
About 6 other Russia-based products are available on special order, but not for the near future, at least.
“As of today, these products will no longer be sold or procured by the PLCB,” Holden says in a statement Sunday. “Given the evolving political-economic climate, it’s just the right thing to do.”
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Photo: Depositphotos
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Whatajoke@gmail.com
February 28, 2022 at 11:09 am
Maybe he should put Chicken Noodle Soup in the liquor stores….