FTCWatch
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January 27, 2026
Calendar
Jan. 28 — The Federal Trade Commission is hosting a workshop on age-verification technologies. It will be held at the Constitution Center in Washington, DC. For more information, go to: https://www.ftc.gov.
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January 27, 2026
DOJ gets guilty verdict against Florida fuel supplier
The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division secured victory against the owner of Marine Oil Services. Jasen Butler was found guilty of 34 counts of wire fraud, money laundering and forgery by a federal jury in Miami.
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January 27, 2026
HSR filing fees to range up to $2.46 million in 2026
The Federal Trade Commission approved new merger filing fees ranging from $35,000 to $2.46 million.
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January 27, 2026
Amazon sends notices about settlement with FTC; monopoly case continues
An outcome from an effort by the Federal Trade Commission is landing in mailboxes across the country this month.
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January 27, 2026
FTC amends thresholds for interlocking directorates
The Federal Trade Commission approved revised jurisdictional thresholds for Section 8 of the Clayton Act, which prohibits interlocking directorates.
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January 27, 2026
Grassley, others urge antitrust agencies to battle price discrimination
Lawmakers led by Senators Chuck Grassley and Mike Rounds are calling on the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission to stop price discrimination, namely in the grocery and agriculture sectors.
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January 27, 2026
Business mogul MacNeil emerges as Trump’s newest FTC pick
Billionaire David MacNeil has been a successful entrepreneur and advocate for business interests. As President Donald Trump’s latest nominee to fill a seat on the Federal Trade Commission, he’ll be somewhat of a rarity at the agency — a member who lacks legal expertise.
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January 27, 2026
DOJ criminal antitrust enforcement faces growing restitution challenges
Mounting procedural obstacles for plaintiffs in class actions spell trouble for the Department of Justice’s ability to secure restitution for victims of criminal anticompetitive conduct.
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January 27, 2026
Neil Averitt commentary: State AGs and hospital deals — Who’s minding the store?
Hospital mergers are large, frequently lead to price rises and are definitively local. By rights, they should be a bread-and-butter concern of state attorneys general. But it hasn’t always worked out that way.
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January 27, 2026
Trump antitrust leaders employ populism, humor in social media
Republican leaders at the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission are championing their views via emphatic, combative and humorous posts on social media.
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January 27, 2026
FTC OIG completes probe into employee’s misconduct
A recent congressionally mandated report from the Federal Trade Commission’s Office of Inspector General said the office last year investigated an agency employee for “improperly” obtaining pandemic relief funds.
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January 27, 2026
People — Antitrust veteran Domen moves to Lewis Brisbois
Vic Domen, a veteran enforcer and private practitioner, has joined Lewis Brisbois as an antitrust partner and co-managing partner in its Washington, DC, office.
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January 21, 2026
On the Shelf: A call to action to improve the nation’s food, health
Corporate consolidation, inflation and climate change have transformed the food industry in recent years.
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January 27, 2026
Meador homes in on risks of acqui-hires
Federal Trade Commission member Mark Meador expressed concerns about the risk acqui-hires could pose to competition in the tech industry.
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January 13, 2026
One year in, the FTC and Trump administration chart a new course
The Federal Trade Commission, structured by Congress to be a politically diverse group with staggered terms, has not reflected that original intent in the first year under new Chairman Andrew Ferguson.
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January 13, 2026
Companies rethink trade secret strategies even without FTC noncompete ban
Even after the Federal Trade Commission under the second Trump administration abandoned a Biden-era proposal to ban noncompete agreements, federal regulators and state legislatures are continuing efforts to curb their use. For companies seeking to protect their trade secrets, employment agreements remain a key tool, but one that may be losing its force.
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January 13, 2026
Calendar
Jan. 27 — The Federal Trade Commission is holding a workshop on “Moving Forward: Protecting Workers from Anticompetitive Noncompete Agreements.” It will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, DC. For more details, go to: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/12/ftc-announces-new-date-workshop-noncompete-agreements.
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January 13, 2026
Ethanol market remains competitive, report finds
The US ethanol industry’s low level of concentration and large number of participants suggest the exercise of market power to set prices, or coordinate on price or output levels, is unlikely, according to a Federal Trade Commission report.
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January 13, 2026
People — Former FTC bureau head Levine starts anew in NYC
Samuel Levine, who formerly headed the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, is now leading a unit with a similar mission in New York City, promising to use the position to provide “economic relief” for residents.
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January 13, 2026
Trump’s involvement in Warner deal follows past presidential moves
When President Donald Trump promised to get involved in reviewing the sale of Warner Brothers Discovery, he was echoing the practice of some previous chief executives who played a role in the outcome of antitrust and merger cases.
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January 13, 2026
Privacy Corner: Youth advocate Ava Smithing pushes against ‘unchecked power’ online
Telling the story of her eating disorder isn’t easy for Ava Smithing. For the sake of change, the advocacy director for Young People’s Alliance says it’s necessary to relive one of her worst moments.
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January 13, 2026
LivCor, DOJ reach tentative agreement over rent-fixing suit
The Department of Justice has reached a tentative agreement with LivCor that would bar algorithmic coordination and the exchange of competitively sensitive data with rivals as part of an antitrust lawsuit targeting rent-fixing by landlords.
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January 13, 2026
White House drops plan to nominate Baasch to FTC
The White House no longer plans to nominate Ryan Baasch to be a member of the Federal Trade Commission, as he will be promoted to a role as deputy director of the National Economic Council and deputy assistant to the president, a White House official said.
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January 13, 2026
Robocall complaints rose in FY 2025, biennial report says
The Federal Trade Commission received more than 2.6 million Do Not Call complaints in fiscal year 2025, an increase from the prior fiscal year. Consumers said most of the violations came via robocalls, according to the agency’s biennial report to Congress.
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January 13, 2026
HOTDOG Act calls for FTC study on stadium concession prices
A Democratic congressional effort to require a Federal Trade Commission study of concession prices at stadiums and airports has been renewed, after a previous attempt failed to be included in an appropriations bill last year.