In their response filed Friday (May 7), the state of Illinois said Anheuser-Busch's motion for a Summary Judgment "attacks the State's three-tier system" in two different ways. You may recall that the Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC) blocked A-B's bid to acquire its remaining stake in Chicago wholesaler City Beverage, claiming an out-of-state brewer cannot hold a distribution license. A-B promptly filed a lawsuit, claiming the state's alcohol code is facially unconstitutional under the dormant commerce clause. Illinois disagrees and here's why: