William Alton Carter (March 29, 1937 – September 25, 1988) was an American farmer, businessman, brewer, and politician. The younger brother of U.S. President
Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1 ...
; he promoted
Billy Beer
Billy Beer is a brand of beer first made in the United States in July 1977, by the Falls City Brewing Company. It was promoted by Billy Carter, whose older brother Jimmy was then the President of the United States. In October 1978, Falls City a ...
and
Peanut Lolita; and he was a candidate for mayor of
Plains, Georgia
Plains is a town in Sumter County, Georgia, United States. The population was 776 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Americus Micropolitan Statistical Area. Plains is best known as the birthplace and home of Jimmy Carter, the 39th president ...
.
1970s and later
In 1972, Billy Carter purchased a gas and service station in Plains. He owned and operated it for most of the decade.
Carter ran for mayor of Plains in 1976, but lost the election, 97 to 71 votes.
In the 1970s Billy Carter was the official spokesperson for
Peanut Lolita liqueur while his brother,
Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1 ...
held presidential office.
In 1977, he endorsed
Billy Beer
Billy Beer is a brand of beer first made in the United States in July 1977, by the Falls City Brewing Company. It was promoted by Billy Carter, whose older brother Jimmy was then the President of the United States. In October 1978, Falls City a ...
, introduced by the
Falls City Brewing Company
Falls City Brewing Company was based in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. The company operated from 1905 until 1978. After the company closed the Falls City brand was purchased by differing groups of investors over the years.
Falls City was a regional ...
, who wished to capitalize upon his colorful image as a beer-drinking Southern
good ol' boy
An old boy network (also known as old boys' network, ol' boys' club, old boys' club, old boys' society, good ol' boys club, or good ol' boys system) is an informal system in which wealthy men with similar social or educational background help ...
that developed in the
press
Press may refer to:
Media
* Print media or news media, commonly called "the press"
* Printing press, commonly called "the press"
* Press (newspaper), a list of newspapers
* Press TV, an Iranian television network
People
* Press (surname), a fam ...
when his brother ran for president. Billy Carter's name was occasionally used as a gag answer for a Washington, D.C., trouble-maker on 1970s episodes of ''
Match Game
''Match Game'' is an American television panel game show that premiered on NBC in 1962 and has been revived several times over the course of the last six decades. The game features contestants trying to match answers given by celebrity panelis ...
''. He was known for his outlandish public behavior; he once urinated on an airport runway in full view of the press and dignitaries. He later became sober, and reportedly extended support to other addicts in their own recovery.
Relationship with Libya
In late 1978 and early 1979, Billy Carter visited
Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...
three times with a contingent from Georgia. He eventually registered as a foreign agent of the Libyan government and received a $220,000 loan. However,
Edwin P. Wilson claimed he had seen a telegram showing that Libya paid Billy Carter $2 million. This led to a
Senate hearing on alleged influence peddling
which the press named Billygate.
A Senate sub-committee was called ''To Investigate Activities of Individuals Representing Interests of Foreign Governments (Billy Carter—Libya Investigation)''.
Death
Carter was diagnosed with
pancreatic cancer in the fall of 1987 and received unsuccessful treatments for the disease. He died in Plains the following year at the age of 51.
His death came five years after the death of his sister
Ruth Carter Stapleton, who also died of pancreatic cancer at age 54.
Their father, James Earl Carter Sr., also died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 58.
In 1999, Carter's son William "Buddy" Carter IV published a biography of his father titled ''Billy Carter: A Journey Through the Shadows'' ().
See also
*
List of scandals with "-gate" suffix
This is a list of scandals or controversies whose names include a ''-gate'' suffix, by analogy with the Watergate scandal, as well as other incidents to which the suffix has (often facetiously) been applied. This list also includes controversi ...
References
External links
FBI file on Billy Carter*
Inquiry into the matter of Billy Carter and Libya: hearings before the Subcommittee to Investigate the Activities of Individuals Representing the Interests of Foreign Governments of the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, Ninety-sixth Congress, second session, August 4, 6, 19, 20, 21, 22, September 4, 5, 9, 10, 16, 17, and October 2, 1980'
Billy Carter's "Redneck Power Pick-up" model*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carter, Billy
1937 births
1988 deaths
United States Marines
Burials in Georgia (U.S. state)
Carter family
Deaths from pancreatic cancer
People from Plains, Georgia
Emory University alumni
Businesspeople from Georgia (U.S. state)
Deaths from cancer in Georgia (U.S. state)
Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state)
20th-century American businesspeople