President Donald Trump spoke with Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino less than a month before the company reached a surprise antitrust settlement with the Justice Department, according to a court filing. The conversation has raised questions about Trump’s involvement in the settlement and how closely he is involved in Justice Department decision-making.
Settlement Details
The settlement was announced during the second week of the antitrust trial, and it blindsided the judge overseeing the case as well as the Justice Department trial team handling the case before the jury. The judge summoned Rapino and the head of the antitrust division to court for a testy hearing, where he expressed his surprise at the settlement.
The trial resumed, and the jury found Live Nation acted as a monopoly and overcharged fans. The judge will ultimately decide whether to approve the DOJ settlement and assign remedies or damages in light of the verdict.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
