The Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and several state attorneys general are challenging the American Airlines Group, Inc. (American) collaboration with competitor JetBlue Airways Corp. (JetBlue). Both sides to the dispute accuse the other of harming competition among airlines. On September 21, the DOJ and its state attorney general partners filed
The alcoholic beverage industry is known for its ability to create new, innovative beverages that do not always fit neatly into the traditional categories of beer, wine, and spirits. Hard seltzer is one example of a new, innovative beverage that has gained significant popularity in recent years. From a regulatory compliance perspective, it is challenging
On September 30 and October 1, Troutman Pepper attended the 2021 National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) Presidential Summit, “Taking the Politics Out of Hate,” held in Washington, DC.[1] Hosted by NAAG President and District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine, the summit focused on ways that attorney general offices can combat hate
State regulatory agencies in Alabama, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Texas have increased their efforts to challenge digital asset-related products by issuing cease-and-desist or “show cause” orders against New Jersey-based cryptocurrency company, Celsius Network LLC (Celsius). In September, Celsius — which provides a blockchain-based cryptocurrency lending and trading platform — became the most recent target of
On September 23, the U.S. Senate advanced legislation that puts all businesses at risk of defending antitrust lawsuits across different jurisdictions at the same time. Senate Bill 1787 (S. 1787) — the Antitrust Enforcement Venue Act of 2021 — prevents defendants from transferring state antitrust lawsuits to more favorable venues. This regulatory action is part
Several state attorneys general recently signaled their interest in pursuing broader and more effective enforcement antitrust actions by urging the federal government to pass legislation that would strengthen current federal antitrust laws and solidify the states’ authority to enforce them.
In late September 2021, a group of 32 state attorneys general sent a letter to
It is widely known that trafficking in controlled substances is a crime under federal law. Traffickers and would-be traffickers be warned, however, that if you do choose to make income from trafficking in Schedule I or II controlled substances (including cannabis, cocaine, or psychedelic mushrooms), that income is fully taxable by the U.S. government. And
The House of Representatives has approved cannabis banking legislation for the fifth time. Will this be the year the Senate finally approves this legislation?
Overview. The Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act is legislation that “would allow marijuana-related businesses in states with some form of legalized marijuana and strict regulatory structures to access the
On September 30, the Senate confirmed Rohit Chopra as the new director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Chopra’s confirmation marks the beginning of his second stint with the CFPB — Chopra served as the CFPB assistant director between 2010 and June 2015, and had overlapping duties as the student loan ombudsman between October
On September 20, nine Democratic senators wrote a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), requesting that it create new rules to protect consumers’ personal data and privacy.
The senators played on FTC Chair Lina Khan’s aversion to Big Tech and aggressive antitrust agenda, which we discussed in a prior post, by stating that