WSJ: Trump Killed Effort to Break Up Live Nation and Ticketmaster
Justice Department officials questioned conflicts as Trump pushed a settlement in a case the agency had spent more than a decade preparing.
- On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported that President Donald Trump contacted a senior DOJ official to press for a settlement in the antitrust case against Live Nation, according to sources familiar with the matter.
- Weeks earlier, Live Nation hired Sullivan & Cromwell—the New York-based firm representing Trump in his personal legal troubles—for settlement talks with the Justice Department.
- Justice Department officials questioned whether Boris Epshteyn, Trump's private legal coordinator, represented the president or Live Nation, creating internal friction over his dual interest in the case.
- Antitrust attorney Brendan Benedict called the Wall Street Journal report a "must-read," while Jason Kint, CEO of Digital Content, said the revelations left political observers stunned.
- Earlier this year, the Justice Department prepared a legal fight against Live Nation and Ticketmaster that was over a decade in the making, marking a stark contrast to the current settlement pressure.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Live Nation’s Ticket Out Of Its Antitrust Case Apparently Came Courtesy Of Some ‘Bizarre’ White House Intervention
Ed. note: Welcome to our daily feature, Quote of the Day. Our critics are comparing this settlement to the irrational hope of breaking up Live Nation and Ticketmaster. For the actual claims in this case, the DOJ and settling states got as much or more as they could have expected to win in court. The only reason we went above the Antitrust Division to senior DOJ leadership is because no one there would speak to us. When you’ve been unable to get …
More Details Emerge On How Trump Cronyism Ruined The Attempt To Break Up Ticketmaster
Last March it was revealed that the Trump DOJ stabbed its antitrust lawsuit state partners in the back and struck a terrible settlement with Ticketmaster, scuttling a generational opportunity to break up one of the more glaring examples of modern monopoly power. Quite a curious choice for a Trump-addled party that spent all last election […]
Trump reportedly handed a golden ticket to Ticketmaster right before March antitrust trial
In a case of game recognizes game, Donald Trump reportedly intervened to personally cancel the Department of Justice’s years-long investigation into Ticketmaster owner Live Nation over bait-and-switch ticket pricing, price gouging, illegally manipulating ticket sales to brokers, and monopolizing sales to United States concert venues. According to the Wall Street Journal on Monday, Trump entertained Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino in the White Ho…
PBS NewsHour
cascadepbs.orgHow Trump intervened in the DOJ case against Live Nation
The Department of Justice spent more than a decade building a case accusing Live Nation of illegally dominating the live event industry by thwarting competition to keep ticket prices high. But according to a Wall Street Journal investigation, President Trump urged senior DOJ officials to settle the case just days before it was set to go to trial. Ali Rogin discussed more with Rebecca Ballhaus.
Why Did Trump Intervene in the DOJ's Antitrust Case Against Live Nation?
A report describes the Justice Department as preparing for an antitrust trial against Live Nation, the world’s largest concert promoter that also owns Ticketmaster, when President Trump stepped in. The trial was set to begin on March 2. According to the report, Trump told a senior DOJ official to settle the case, and the official later shared that directive with associates. The intervention came after months of settlement talks between DOJ offic…
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