Well, this one has it all: Hooters, ice cold beer, not one but two of Gov. Charlie Crist's agency heads and even Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer.

A whistleblower lawsuit was filed Wednesday by Stephen Hougland, a former division chief in the state's business regulation agency. He accuses former Secretary Holly Benson of interfering with his decision-making authority and improperly favoring a beer distributor and beverage industry consultant who's a close friend of Greer's. The case involves special Hooters/Bud Light bottles and whether they violated Florida's "Tied House Evil" law that bars financial aid to a beverage vendor by a liquor manufacturer or distributor. The suit accuses Benson of overruling Hougland and allowing Hooters to deplete their remaining Bud Light bottles featuring the distinctive Hooters logo (read the lawsuit here).

In addition, the suit alleges Benson dismissed 19 cases of unlicensed activity at "the Sandestin Beach Resort, a mega-resort located in Benson's previous House district consisting of numerous, privately-owned restaurants and alcoholic-beverage establishments."

Among Hougland's other charges is that former DBPR deputy secretary Chuck Drago, who last week was named by Crist as Benson's successor, gave Greer friend John Harris "inappropriate access to DBPR personnel" and gave a job to a close friend who was unqualified. Hougland is asking a circuit judge for reinstatement to his old job and full back pay. 

Hougland previously filed similar charges with the Florida Commission on Human Relations and the Florida Commission on Ethics, but the charges were not sustained either time. The Hougland lawsuit was first reported by Gary Fineout of Florida Health News.