A group of Democratic lawmakers has asked the Justice Department’s acting inspector general to investigate potential misconduct in the Trump administration’s handling of major antitrust cases, raising questions about whether corporate lobbying and political relationships influenced federal enforcement decisions.
The request, announced Thursday by Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, calls for an independent review of decisions involving some of the largest companies in the technology, health care, entertainment and real estate industries, according to a statement published by Nadler’s office.
The lawmakers contend that senior Justice Department officials may have intervened in antitrust proceedings following meetings with corporate lobbyists, potentially overriding recommendations from career enforcement officials. The allegations have not been established by an independent investigation.
The congressional request was directed to William M. Blier, the department’s acting inspector general, and follows leadership changes involving former Attorney General Pam Bondi and former Antitrust Division chief Gail Slater.
The lawmakers are seeking an examination of whether those changes, along with decisions to settle or abandon significant antitrust challenges, reflect improper political interference in the department’s enforcement responsibilities.
Major Corporate Transactions Under Scrutiny
The congressional statement identifies several transactions and enforcement actions that lawmakers believe warrant additional examination.
Among them are the Justice Department’s settlements involving Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s proposed acquisition of Juniper Networks and UnitedHealth Group’s proposed acquisition of Amedisys.
The lawmakers also cited the department’s dismissal of its challenge to American Express Global Business Travel’s acquisition of CWT, as well as its handling of the merger between real estate companies Compass and Anywhere.
Other matters identified in the statement include the proposed combination of Paramount and Warner Bros., the department’s settlement of its monopolization lawsuit involving Live Nation and Ticketmaster, and its clearance of Nexstar’s merger with TEGNA.
According to Nadler’s office, the lawmakers are concerned that some of these decisions followed contact between senior Justice Department officials and lobbyists representing companies with business before the Antitrust Division.
The statement does not establish that the companies engaged in wrongdoing or that the enforcement outcomes resulted from improper influence.
Lobbying Relationships Draw Attention
The lawmakers also requested scrutiny of relationships between corporate lobbying firms and senior administration officials.
Their statement identifies Ballard Partners, a lobbying firm that previously employed Bondi and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, as a particular area of concern.
Read more: Trump Nominates Two DOJ Lawyers to Federal Bench Before Midterms
According to Nadler’s office, some companies involved in matters before the Justice Department retained Ballard Partners to lobby department leadership.
The lawmakers want investigators to determine whether officials participated in decisions affecting former clients or employers and whether such relationships created conflicts of interest or compromised the department’s independence.
The request specifically names acting Attorney General Blanche, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, Bondi and former Justice Department chief of staff Chad Mizelle among the officials whose conduct the lawmakers want examined.
We’d love to be your preferred source for news.
Please add us to your preferred sources list so our news, data and interviews show up in your feed. Thanks!
The existence of previous professional relationships or lobbying contacts does not, by itself, demonstrate unlawful conduct.
Questions Over Antitrust Enforcement
The congressional request reflects broader concerns among the lawmakers about the direction of federal competition policy during Trump’s second term.
According to the April 16 statement, the Justice Department had not blocked a corporate transaction on antitrust grounds since Trump returned to office in January 2025.
The lawmakers argue that the department’s handling of several high-profile transactions warrants closer scrutiny, particularly when enforcement decisions differ from positions previously taken by government antitrust attorneys.
They have asked the inspector general to examine potential violations of federal ethics rules, antitrust requirements and laws governing improper influence.
The review they are seeking would cover antitrust enforcement activity dating to Jan. 20, 2025, including interactions between department officials and outside lobbyists.
The request was supported by Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, along with House members Nadler, Pramila Jayapal, Chris Deluzio, Becca Balint, Angie Craig and Jamie Raskin, according to the congressional announcement.
Independent Review Requested
The lawmakers are seeking an assessment of whether political considerations or personal relationships affected decisions that are supposed to be based on competition law and the economic merits of individual cases.
They also want the inspector general to determine whether current or former Justice Department officials improperly influenced matters involving companies connected to their previous professional activities.
The request does not establish that misconduct occurred, and the congressional statement does not indicate whether the inspector general has agreed to open an investigation.
Source: Nadler
Add as Preferred Source