State Senator Accused of Interfering with Liquor Probe

AUSTIN (AP) – In an East Texas-linked case, a former state liquor control sergeant is suing his former employer, alleging that he was fired improperly after accusing a prominent state lawmaker of corruption. Marcus Stokke filed the lawsuit this week in a state district court in Austin. The Austin American-Statesman reports h alleges he was fired after making public corruption and obstruction of justice allegations to the FBI against state Sen. Joan Huffman of Houston. That was after the liquor control board ordered him to stop investigating alleged violations by Graham Central Station in Longview, which he alleges Huffman and her husband partly owned. He alleges Huffman used her influence to get the commission to order a stop to the investigation. Huffman, who chairs the Senate State Affairs Committee, denies the allegations. The TABC declined comment.