Live Nation is reportedly lobbying to get out of its anti-trust trial

Are you done laughing? Good. Semafor reports now that Live Nation executives and lobbyists have been doing their darndest to avoid having the issue ever make it to trial, hoping to work out some kind of settlement instead. These conversations have reportedly happened without antitrust chief Gail Slater, the assistant attorney general to Trump’s DOJ who inherited the case from Biden’s. For what it’s worth, a DOJ spokesperson denied this characterization in a statement to the outlet: “This report contains misinformation about an ongoing matter that is confidential, but what can be said is that AAG Slater is very much involved… Anonymous attempts to alter markets or outcomes will not undermine the integrity of this process. This DOJ will always pursue what is in the best interest of the American people.” 

Per Semafor, Slater intends for the case to go to trial in March. But holding any kind of corporation accountable for anything stands in pretty stark contrast to an administration that loves taking money from huge corporations. It wouldn’t be the first time this specific thing has happened in this administration, either. A merger of HPE and Juniper, as well as one of large real-estate brokerage firms, both were approved last year by going over the heads of Slater’s team. However, even if Live Nation settles instead of having to sit through an anti-trust lawsuit, 40 states would still have pending anti-trust lawsuits.