States Are Ready to Take Live Nation to Trial Without DOJ Support

Attorneys General from California and Connecticut have signaled that they are willing to try Live Nation on antitrust charges even if the Department of Justice (DOJ) decides to settle its lawsuit. The status of the federal lawsuit is currently in flux following the ousting of DOJ antitrust chief Gail Slater.

The details:

• California Attorney General Rob Bonta told Bloomberg that he would agree to a federal settlement if it properly compensated the injured class.

• However, he did not expect a settlement to be satisfactory.

• If no settlement is reached by March 2, the DOJ and over 30 states are scheduled to begin trial against Live Nation.

• Slater’s departure has sparked worries that the government will accept a minimal settlement.

• If such developments come to pass, Bonta and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong are ready to go to trial.

• The previous administration filed the current antitrust suit.

What they said:

• Tong: “Any resolution that is politically motivated or impacted, or any settlement that comes from trying to placate the president or meet his demands, is not likely to fly with Connecticut or California either.”

• Bonta: “I think we have to explore settlement in good faith, and if it meets our very high standards of what is necessary, pursue it. But there’s a high probability that they’ll settle, it’ll be soft, and they won’t get all the relief they should.”