When the Government Actually Governs

[Passages]

The Biden administration’s antitrust agencies are hitting the tape with new rules and enforcement actions.

by Luke Goldstein January 9, 2025

The Biden administration’s antitrust enforcers are doing something unthinkable in the final days of their tenure in government: They’re continuing to govern. Just this week, anti-monopoly regulators across various agencies finalized sweeping rules and also took new actions to crack down on corporate malfeasance harming consumers.

It’s a stark contrast to how other branches of the government are treating the lame-duck period in preparation for the transition of power. Some Biden administration officials have even begun to resign early under pressure from Republicans, meekly making way for the incoming administration.

While it’s not common for agencies to forge ahead so close to a transition of power, that kind of timidity is purely a formality. By issuing new policies, antitrust enforcers are making an aggressive push to put the ball in the Trump administration’s court, given that these new regulatory measures will likely face industry pushback, congressional review, hostile courts, or outright agency reversals in the coming months.

The pace at which the current antitrust regulators have stacked up wins in the final minutes of the fourth quarter is dizzying.
https://prospect.org/economy/2025-01-09-when-government-actually-governs-antitrust/

Outstanding, as usual.

[MadameButterfly]

1. I'm confused. Why is this happening now?

How about 4 years ago?

[Passages]

2. Lina Khan became FTC chair in June 2021

That division has been gangbusters ever since, the article merely demonstrates they will push through until the bitter end.