FTCWatch
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March 10, 2026
Senators bring bill to address consolidation, foreign owners in meatpacking
A dozen US senators have backed a bill to fundamentally reshape the American meatpacking industry, which they say has been raising costs for consumers while lowering returns for cattle ranchers and farmers.
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March 10, 2026
Live Nation settles with DOJ mid-trial, state buy-in remains unclear
Live Nation and the Department of Justice cut a mid-trial deal Monday resolving the agency’s claims of monopolization and anticompetitive conduct across the live entertainment and ticketing industries.
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March 10, 2026
Privacy Corner: LGBT Tech’s Gardner navigates identity, advocacy and online spaces
It’s become increasingly difficult to divorce politics from technology issues, as worries about surveillance and crackdowns on speech persist for Shae Gardner, LGBT Tech’s director of policy and research.
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March 10, 2026
People — Ehrett leaves FTC for Lex Politica
John Ehrett has left the Federal Trade Commission, where he served as Mark Meador’s chief of staff, to join Lex Politica, a boutique conservative law firm.
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March 10, 2026
Calendar
March 23 — Federal Trade Commission member Mark Meador and Elizabeth Odette, the National Association of Attorneys General antitrust task force chair, will speak at the Washington Antitrust and Digital Markets Forum. The event will take place at George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC. For more information, go to: https://antitrustforum-dc.com.
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March 10, 2026
Consumer Protection Week highlights risks that led to billions in 2025 fraud losses
Federal Trade Commission officials spent National Consumer Protection Week providing tips to curb fraud while agency data shows consumer losses in 2025 weren’t slowing down.
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March 10, 2026
The Microsoft case at 25: Still influencing litigation and media spin
Microsoft’s seminal antitrust case, settled 25 years ago, had an impact that went beyond the law.
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March 10, 2026
Mufarrige says FTC zeroing in on economics, individual harm
The Federal Trade Commission is placing greater emphasis on economic analyses as it implements its enforcement agenda, Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Chris Mufarrige said.
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March 10, 2026
Neil Averitt commentary: How Anne Bingaman granted the Cato Institute’s fondest wish
For the business libertarians at the Cato Institute, their fondest wish is no doubt that a pied piper will show up, gather the top managers of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, and lead them all into the sea. Strangely enough, this has actually happened.
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March 10, 2026
Use of consumer data explored by FTC in workshop sequel
The Federal Trade Commission held a workshop on the use of consumer data in the economy, with the event serving as both a marker and a sequel of sorts to a workshop held in 2017.
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March 10, 2026
US government using antitrust for ‘cronyism,’ AELP says
The American Economic Liberties Project has released a fact sheet criticizing the federal government for transforming antitrust and consumer protection into a “means for cronyism.”
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March 10, 2026
Walmart to pay $100 million for deceiving drivers about pay
Retailer Walmart will pay $100 million to settle allegations from the Federal Trade Commission and 11 states that it caused delivery drivers to lose tens of millions of dollars in earnings through deceptive practices.
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March 10, 2026
DOJ, FTC invite lobbying with call for input on collaboration guidelines
The Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission’s inquiry over potential reissuance of guidance on collaboration between competitors is a green light for heavy lobbying from the antitrust bar and competition policy stakeholders seeking to influence enforcement of antitrust laws.
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March 10, 2026
On the Shelf: An analysis of Martin Luther’s antitrust views
Few writers have tried to make a link between antitrust and religion. Perhaps they are taking to heart Jesus’ admonition from the Sermon on the Mount that “You cannot serve God and mammon.”
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March 10, 2026
Paramount wins race for Warner, but potential hurdles from states remain
Paramount Skydance has won the race for Warner Bros. Discovery, prevailing after Netflix pulled out of contention — but the victory may prove premature. Even as federal regulators appear to have eased a key hurdle for the blockbuster media tie-up, the deal still faces potential legal challenges from individual states, where attorneys general could decide to bring their own lawsuits to block or reshape the merger.
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February 24, 2026
Ferguson calls Express Scripts antitrust settlement pretty comprehensive
Express Scripts’ settlement of antitrust litigation brought by the Federal Trade Commission covers business practices that extend beyond the rebating practices and insulin at the center of the agency’s case against the top three pharmacy benefit managers, Chairman Andrew Ferguson said Friday.
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February 24, 2026
Calendar
March 2 — “The Competition and Consumer Protection Year in Review: A Panel on Enforcement Policy at the FTC” will feature Chris Mufarrige, the agency’s Bureau of Competition director, former acting FTC Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen and Noah Phillips, a former commissioner. The International Center for Law & Economics is sponsoring the event from noon to 1 p.m. at the St. Regis Hotel in Washington, DC. For more information, go to: https://laweconcenter.org/events/the-competition-and-consumer-protection-year-in-review-a-panel-on-enforcement-policy-at-the-ftc/.
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February 20, 2026
Cross-border fraud crackdown an ongoing priority, FTC tells Congress
The Federal Trade Commission is again urging Congress to permanently authorize a federal law that strengthens the agency’s ability to combat cross-border fraud, according to its annual report on cyberattacks.
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February 24, 2026
FTC filing disclosure block raises stakes for M&A antitrust oversight
A US district court’s move to block the Federal Trade Commission from requiring expanded premerger antitrust forms raises fresh uncertainty around the meaning of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and the scope of federal oversight in mergers and acquisitions.
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February 24, 2026
At what cost? A look at the deferred resignation program at the FTC
The Federal Trade Commission lost more than 100 employees last year through the deferred resignation program, spending $7.6 million on salary compensation for idled employees, according to information obtained by FTCWatch.
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February 24, 2026
Trump administration’s antitrust agenda becomes clearer with Slater’s exit
The appointment of Gail Slater last year to lead antitrust enforcement at the Department of Justice was seen as an expression of philosophical continuity with past administrations. Her recent ouster — after substantial disputes within DOJ leadership about the ethics of enforcement — signaled a sharp break with the past and creates a widespread perception that the agency’s tolerance for corporate market power will increase.
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February 24, 2026
Consent order over Adamas no-hire agreements finalized
The Federal Trade Commission has finalized a consent order that requires building services contractor Adamas Amenity Services and its affiliated businesses to stop enforcing no-hire agreements.
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February 24, 2026
Senators seek details about Slater’s departure, Ticketmaster
A group of Senate Democrats have raised concerns about the Department of Justice’s commitment to antitrust enforcement after the ouster of its antitrust chief Gail Slater.
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February 24, 2026
North Carolina executive admits to rigging military contract bids
An executive at a metal fabrication and manufacturing firm has pleaded guilty to conspiring to rig bids for contracts affecting US military installations.
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February 24, 2026
FTC chair warns Apple News about alleged media bias
Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson’s letter to Apple alleging that it is stifling conservative perspectives is part of a broader effort aimed at content moderation.