A coalition of free-market advocates has issued a stark warning to Congress about the Biden administration’s antitrust policies. The coalition alleges that President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are acting beyond their remit, using their powers to provide political cover for Biden’s reelection campaign.
The coalition includes prominent groups such as Club for Growth, Americans for Tax Reform, and Digital Liberty. These organizations have accused Biden of breaking with decades of precedent in an effort to score political points. One example cited is the DOJ’s lawsuit against Live Nation-Ticketmaster over a website crash caused by a ticket-buying frenzy for Taylor Swift concerts. The coalition suggests this move is an attempt to curry favor with Swift’s fans ahead of the November elections.
The signatories of the letter argue that the DOJ’s Antitrust Division is attempting “to turn Taylor Swift fans into Biden voters.” They also criticized the FTC for what Rep. Jim Jordan (R., Ohio) described as an “obsession” with Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter. The FTC has reportedly demanded that Twitter hand over all internal communications mentioning Musk, as well as a list of journalists who have communicated with Twitter employees.
This letter reflects growing concerns among free-market advocates about what they see as the politicization of antitrust enforcement under the Biden administration. As the 2024 election approaches, these groups are calling on Congress to scrutinize and rein in what they believe to be overreach by the DOJ and FTC.
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