The State of Federal Antitrust Enforcement: Facing a Crossroads in the Courts, Agencies, and Congress

Competition enforcement in the U.S. and abroad are in the spotlight, as concerns over rising concentration and declining competition move onto the radar screens of consumers and workers. These issues are at the center of legislative reform proposals, a rise in state enforcement activity, and will undoubtedly make their way into the November 2020 presidential campaign. AAI President Diana Moss sat down with William Baer, former Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division (2013-2016), to talk about the path of antitrust enforcement. In their conversation, Baer provides valuable perspective on the uptick in DOJ enforcement under his leadership during the Obama administration, troubling developments in the courts, cooperation with other enforcers, and the importance of the career staffs of the federal agencies. MODERATOR: DIANA MOSS, PRESIDENT AMERICAN ANTITRUST INSTITUTE GUEST: WILLIAM BAER, FORMER ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ANTITRUST DIVISION (2013-2016); VISITING FELLOW - GOVERNANCE STUDIES, THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION This podcast is part of a three-part series that unpacks the state of federal antitrust enforcement in view of growing concerns over declining competition and associated developments in state and private enforcement. The podcast series follows AAI's recently released report "The State of Antitrust Enforcement and Competition Policy in the U.S" and is the alternative platform for AAI's 2020 Annual Conference.