Figma's IPO is both proof that antitrust matters and terrific news on its own terms. We need more U.S. public companies🚀🚀🚀

This week, as we celebrate America’s birthday, I’m also celebrating two laws that are particularly meaningful to me: 🎂 Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) 🎂 Civil Rights Act (1964) One is designed to break up monopolies, the other to break down barriers of discrimination. But both

The idea that Republicans cleverly delayed all the pain in the megabill until after the election is untrue. As @whitneycwimbish shows, 1/3 of the Medicaid cuts are in place today. Several hospitals have closed programs, cut staff, or shut down. Important story (link below):

Statement by reinstated FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter

Exactly zero surprises here -- inviting grifting and culture war grievance peddling in the M&A review process is bad for deals.

Reports of these firings at the Justice Department are deeply concerning. The Antitrust Division has long worked to enforce the law to fight monopoly power, but these attorneys may have been fired for doing just that. The Administration must provide answers.

And here's the Tunney Act's namesake, California Sen. John V. Tunney, on the antitrust law's origins, speaking on the Senate floor in December of 1974:

I spent 10 years at DOJ talking to entities of all stripes in nearly every sector — Fortune 100s, superstar firms, mid-sized firms, startups, venture capitalists, sponsors, and more. The consistent message from market players was that competition and antitrust enforcement are

Google had cynically argued that a jury of average Americans couldn't possibly understand the complexities of its antitrust violations. The Ninth Circuit just upheld that jury verdict.

Congrats to @Zoink & Figma team on the IPO. 🚀 We need more public companies. It will create more value for everyone — more jobs, innovation, returns, etc.

Big Tech argues these cases are too “complex” for juries. But a jury decided this case, and today, the Ninth Circuit backed them up. Turns out Americans are more than up to the task of deciding when monopolists break the law. If the public bears the harm, we deserve the right to

One of my last privileges at DOJ was to work on and file the United States’ amicus brief in Epic v. Google. Gratifying to see the 9th circuit decision track team USA's position on liability and remedies for digital markets broken by monopolies + cite the Antitrust Division and FTC

. Vinod Khosla and @jason I was in charge when DOJ reviewed Adobe/Figma. Silicon Valley loved our cases against Google (x2), Apple, and Ticketmaster because founders wanted the opportunity to compete. I know because they told us so...repeatedly. Yes, we challenged a few deals

1/ One year ago, a landmark decision struck a historic blow to the power of tech giants. That’s when a federal court declared Google a monopolist who crushed competition in the internet search business. Put simply, “Google it” didn’t become a verb by accident. Google made it so

Biden antitrust boss Jonathan Kanter has a simple message for Figma investors: "You're welcome." A fun interview with Liz Hoffman for Semafor

“America’s largest health care companies are no longer just health insurers or pharmacy benefit managers, and they are no longer just doctor groups or hospitals. They are all of the above. Meanwhile, consolidated health markets have failed to deliver on the promise of better

Important piece from Jonathan Kanter this morning. When a deal threatens to entrench market power, it should face scrutiny, whatever the form.

James Fontanella-Khan What Alford claims is happening at DOJ Antitrust Division is the inverse of economic populism. Biden antitrust officials sought to shift economic power towards people through legit law enforcement. Under Trump, economic power is held by a handful of well-connected elites.