Drunk-driving Georgia Republican gets loaded on booze lobby dollars days after DUI arrest

Georgia Republican Rep. Tom Taylor was arrested and charged with driving under the influence this month when he was pulled over while speeding with children in the car.

Perhaps not coincidentally, liquor lobbying groups have started pouring money into Taylor's reelection campaign coffers, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

About two weeks after Taylor's DUI arrest, he got $1,000 from Wholesale Distributors for Good Government, according to disclosure documents obtained by the AJC. He also reported $4,000 in contributions from fellow Republican House representatives Jan Jones and David Ralston.

Taylor was arrested earlier this month for driving 72 mph in a 45 mph speed zone, WABE reported. He had a blood alcohol level of .225, which is nearly 3 times the legal limit of .08. He had four foreign exchange students riding in his car, where he also is accused of having an open container.

According to the police report, Taylor also had a firearm on him and the police officer wrote he "could smell an overwhelming odor of alcohol while speaking with Mr. Taylor.”

Taylor tried to deny drinking, but according to the report obtained by WABE described him has "was very red and his eyes were bloodshot." Additionally, a water bottle he had in the car with him smelled like alcohol.

While Taylor sits on the House Regulated Industries Committee which handles laws involving alcohol, he frequently receives contributions from the liquor lobby, the AJC reports. He has received about three dozen contributions totalling $20,000 from the industry since mid-2010.