A recent AJC story detailed how Georgia officials showed favoritism toward politically connected beer distributors over craft breweries in the battle for drinkers’ access to alcohol. Today, a local lawyer says state restrictions on local breweries block free-market enterprise. We asked Georgia Speaker David Ralston’s office for an opposing view, but a spokesman said no legislator was willing to weigh in. The Georgia Beer Wholesalers Association did not respond to requests for an opinion. In our second column, an industry group speaks out against a recent column that advocated raising cigarette taxes.