FTC:WATCH

FTC:WATCH No. 793 (2011-10)

admin — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 19:05:28 +0000

By Kirstin Downey FTC:WATCH staff report, Issue 793, October 18, 2011 The Justice Department is stirring heated controversy with its proposal to shutter four of its seven regional antitrust field offices—Cleveland, Dallas, Atlanta and Philadelphia—and consolidate the work elsewhere. In a statement, agency officials said shutting down the offices will save $8 million, and that the 94 affected workers will be offered transfers to the remaining offices in San Francisco, Chicago, New . . . Read more

FTC:WATCH No. 577 – 2001-20

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:42:56 +0000

November 19, 2001 Advertising: business calls in the Feds Maybe its the economy. Until recently, national advertising enforcement actions at the FTC have been rare. Most of the agencys consumer protection work has been concentrated on an almost endless stream of Internet quick bucks schemes. But in the last few weeks, the business communitys self-regulation mechanism has referred three cases to the agency for investigation, self-regulation having proven ineffective. The Council of Better . . . Read more

FTC:WATCH No. 695 (2007-7)

admin — Fri, 13 May 2011 21:01:18 +0000

April 9, 2007 Bulletin: The FTC commissioners on April 10 voted to ask a federal court to block Western Refining, Inc.s proposed acquisition of Giant Industries, Inc. on the grounds that the merger would reduce competition for the bulk supply of light petroleum products to northern New Mexico. According to a source familiar with the transaction, Western is now attempting to negotiate a consent agreement to include divestitures that would resolve the FTCs . . . Read more

FTC:WATCH No. 730 (2008-20)

admin — Fri, 13 May 2011 21:00:35 +0000

November 10, 2008 Obama s chance to reshape antitrust law Speculation is that President-elect Barack Obama may have as many as three Supreme Court nominations in his future, but little has been written about the existing or about to be vacancies on the U.S. Courts of Appeal, where cases go first. According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, there has been a vacancy on the Second Circuit, which oversees Conn., N.Y. and Vt. since July and two vacancies on the Third Circuit . . . Read more

FTC:WATCH No. 710 (2007-22)

admin — Fri, 13 May 2011 21:00:30 +0000

December 17, 2007 The recusal question In 1993, with one commissioner not participating, the others deadlocked 2-2 on a staff recommendation to ask a federal court to enjoin Microsoft Corp. from certain sales practices. The practices were: charging personal computer manufacturers an operating system license for every machine they manufactured, whether or not some machines included a Microsoft system or not; and minimum use contracts that could require royalty payments on unshipped . . . Read more

FTC:WATCH No. 694 (2007-6)

admin — Fri, 13 May 2011 21:00:06 +0000

March 26, 2007 What are you wearing? The Humane Society of the U.S. has asked the FTC to enforce the Fur Products Labeling Act, 15 U.S.C. 69 et seq. against several national clothing retailers who, it alleges, are mislabeling some of their fur-trimmed products; specifically, importing apparel from the Peoples Republic of China and labeling it for consumers as either faux fur, genuine raccoon or coyote, or rabbit fur when, in fact, the garments include fur from members of the canine . . . Read more

FTC:WATCH No. 690 (2007-2)

admin — Fri, 13 May 2011 20:59:54 +0000

January 29, 2007 Merger watch Over the objection of two commissioners, the FTC has closed its investigation of cable TV mergers involving Time Warner, Comcast and Adelphia. FTC File No. 051-0151 And with one abstention, the commissioners have also closed an investigation of Brocade Communications Systems Inc.'s acquisition of McData Corporation. FTC File No. 061-0279 In the Time Warner, Comcast and Adelphia deals, involving asset "swaps" as well as acquisitions, Commissioners Jon Leibowitz . . . Read more

FTC:WATCH No. 726 (2008-16)

admin — Fri, 13 May 2011 20:59:47 +0000

September 15, 2008 Rosch sets out tight schedule for Whole Foods trial While both sides wait to find out if the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia will grant an en banc hearing to reconsider a smaller panel s July 29 decision reinstating the FTC s Complaint that Whole Foods Market s acquisition of Wild Oats Markets, Inc., FTC Commissioner J. Thomas Rosch has uncorked a 14-page scheduling order that sets trial of the administrative Compliant to begin February 16, 2009. (Civ. . . . Read more

FTC:WATCH No. 722 (2008-12)

admin — Fri, 13 May 2011 20:59:34 +0000

June 16, 2008 From those wonderful folks who brought you the Iraq war When it comes to the FTC and Intel Corp., the New York Times still doesn't get it. In October, 2007 the Times printed what can only be honestly describer as a fictional account of how then FTC Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras was blocking the agency's staff from investigating Intel's alleged antitrust transgressions. The paper followed up with an editorial chastising the FTC leadership for failing to pursue Intel. . . . Read more

FTC:WATCH No. 701 – 2007-13

admin — Fri, 13 May 2011 20:59:19 +0000

July 9, 2007 Merger watch Third parties protest disclosure: FTC targets Whole Foods for administrative trial The FTCs attempt to stop a Whole Foods Market/Wild Oats merger in federal district court is generating a lot of controversy and now therell be two venues for the disputation. On June 28, the FTC filed an administrative complaint against the $670 million deal. The FTC said that filing of the complaint preserves the Commissions legal option to pursue an administrative remedy . . . Read more