Court filing reveals President Trump spoke to Live Nation CEO before antitrust case was settled
NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump personally met with Live Nation’s chief executive in the weeks before the Justice Department abruptly settled its long-running antitrust case against the entertainment giant and its subsidiary Ticketmaster, the company’s lawsuit reveals.
Live Nation lawyers told the court Monday that Trump and the company’s CEO, Michael Rapino, talked about the antitrust lawsuit in February but did not discuss the “substantial terms” of any potential deal.
They also said White House lawyers participated in some of the numerous in-person meetings, video conferences, phone calls and written communications between the company and the Justice Department in February and March.
Just days before the hearing in March, the Ministry of Justice announced that an agreement had been reached Most states have refused to participate, saying it is not enough to curb the company’s dominance of ticket sales for concert venues and live events through Ticketmaster.
The trial continued, and a few weeks later the jury concluded that the company was a monopoly that was costing concertgoers and sports fans money.
The White House declined to comment on Live Nation’s statement and referred questions to the Justice Department, but the department did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
The statement comes as the Justice Department faces criticism that its independence is threatened by significant oversight or interference from the White House and the president.
The Justice Department and dozens of states initially joined together to file an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation.
The jury in New York found, among other things, that Ticketmaster’s anticompetitive practices caused people in 22 states to pay an extra $1.72 per ticket, and the judge could order the companies to refund that amount.
State attorneys general who sued Live Nation said the decision could potentially lead to lower ticket prices for music fans.
federal government including settlement agreement A cap on service fees at some amphitheatres, as well as some new ticketing options for promoters and venues – potentially allowing, but not requiring, these to open the door to Ticketmaster rivals like SeatGeek or AXS.
In April, Live Nation said in a statement that the decision “is not the final word on this matter.”
