FTC: Watch articles from May 2001

FTC: Watch archives from May 2001

Third April court win rounds out Pitofsky's term.(Trans Union L.L.C. v. Federal Trade Commission)(Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council)
May 14, 2001... An April 30 federal district court decision granting the FTC's cross-motion for summary judgment on its Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act rules marked the third time in one month that the courts had backed contentious agency decisions. On April 13,...

A Generic RX study, a trial and a bill.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... While the FTC awaits returns from the questionnaires it has sent to 75 drug companies concerning any agreements they made have made in connection with abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) in the last six years, FTC Administrative Law...

Leary wants FTC to study competitive effects of state franchise laws.(Thomas B. Leary suggests Economics Bureau study)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... FTC Commissionet Thomas B. Leary says he would like to see the agency's Economics Bureau study the nationwide impact of state dealer franchise laws. It would be helpful, he says, "for legislators and voters to know what the cost of...

Senate Judiciary Committee endorses James.
May 14, 2001... "Mr. James, you have been so successful in advising an impressive list of corporate clients that some have joked that you will have to recuse yourself from doing your job, "Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy. Last...

FTC closes 3 year investigation into West coast gasoline marketing.(United States. Federal Trade Commission)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... After close to three years, the commissioners voted 4-0 to close its investigation into how oil refiners in the Western states of Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington market and distribute refined oil, saying they had "found no...

House antitrust turf battles over broadband "competition" bill.(jurisdiction disputed)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... The House Judiciary Committee is embroiled in antitrust turf battles with both the Energy & Commerce Committee and the Transportation Committee, prompting Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-Wisc.) to call in Speaker...

FTC & BBB 'Truth-in-Ad' workshop.(Federal Trade Commission, Better Business Bureau joint seminar on advertising law)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... The FTC and the Council of Better Business Bureaus' National Advertising Division will hold a free one-day public workshop on May 22 "to explore how marketers comply with "clear and conspicuous" disclosure requirements in truth-in-advertising...

The category captain and the consolidating food industry.
May 14, 2001... The food sector of the American economy is clearly undergoing a major restructuring that involves rapid and inter-related consolidation at the retail and manufacturing levels, as well as relatively new forms of vertical integration at these...

Merger watch.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Merger watch: Pepsico Spokesman Dick Detwiler told FTC: WATCH that his company has not been advised by FTC staff that they plan to block the pending merger between Pepsi and Quaker Oats. A source familiar with the FTC's investigation says...

HSR reforms.(merger and acquisition notificiation report requirements)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... HSR reforms: From July 1, the FTC's Antitrust Improvements Act Notification and Report Form and the accompanying Instructions for Certain Mergers and Acquisitions, (16 CFR Part 803, Appendix) will require filers to: * report revenue data...

Mylan disgorgement.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Mylan disgorgement: the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has approved a plan of distribution for $100 million now in escrow as part of the settlement of the FTC's and 50 states' lawsuit against Mylan, Cambrex, Profarmaco,...

DeWine and Kohl pursue airline mergers.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... DeWine and Kohl pursue airline mergers: Senate Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) and Ranking member Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) have asked Attorney General John Ashcroft to increase the Antitrust Division's resources devoted to...

No shortage of airline competition bills.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... No shortage of airline competition bills: Antitrust aviation competition bills introduced in the 107th Congress include: (a) "The Airline Delay Reduction Act" (H.R. 1407), authorizing the Secretary of Transportation to grant limited antitrust...

Italy levies an antitrust fine.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Italy levies an antitrust fine: A May 3 Associated Press report from Rome says that Telecom Italia has been fined $53 million "for exploiting its dominant position in broadband, Internet-related technologies."

Antitrust, the movie.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Antitrust, the movie: the recent film Antitrust (Special Edition) was released on DVD on May 15. dvdplanet.com has it for $18.74 ($24.98 list).

European not so sure : General Electric-Honeywell OK in U.S., but chopper engine business must be sold.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... General Electric Co. and Honeywell International Inc. have struck a deal with the Antitrust Division that will allow their $42 billion merger to go forward, but the parties must divest their helicopter engine business and authorize new...

Mitsubishi socked with $134 million fine for role in international price-fixing cartel.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Mitsubishi Corporation has been fined $134 million after a conviction for its role in an international graphite electrodes price-fix. This is the second-highest fine imposed in the graphite electrodes investigation and the fourth-largest ever...

DOJ to FCC: independent review of SBC prices to Missouri competitors should precede in-state long distance decision.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Competitive concerns arising from the application by SBC Communications Inc. to provide long distance services in Missouri warrant an independent review of the prices SBC charges its competitors for the use of elements of its network, such as...

Business Review Letter : Transportation Services Inc. can be common billing/collection agent.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... A proposal by Transportation Services Inc. (TSI) to create a company that would act as a common billing and collection agent for its customers -- ocean carriers in the U.S.-Puerto Rico trades -- has been reviewed and approved by the Justice...

More NYC food price-fix guilty pleas.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Five former executives and three New York City food distribution companies pleaded guilty to rigging bids on $126 million dollars of frozen food contracts awarded by the New York City Board of Education (NYCBOE), the Department of Justice...

Auction mavens indicted.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... The former chairmen of Sotheby's Holdings and Christie's International --the world's largest auction houses -- have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Manhattan for fixing commission rates charged to sellers of art works, jewelry, and...

Credit card protection case settled in court; Swindle, Leary find part "overbroad".(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Liberty Direct and individual defendants Paul Wiggs and David Furnia are banned from selling credit card protection services and will have to post a $1 million bond before telemarketing again, following a recent court settlement resolving an...

Office Suppliers redress $2 million.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Modern Concept Marketing and its principals Joseph Moadeb and Sam Jenkala will pay $2 million consumer redress and observe the Telemarketing Sales Rule in future -- to settle 1999 FTC charges that they operated a bogus toner-phoner business....

FTC staff warns ultrasonic pest controllers.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... FTC Enforcement Division staff cautioned more than 60 ultrasonic pest-control makers and retailers that the FTC Act prohibits false and deceptive advertising, and that they must back up efficacy claims about their products with credible...

FTC pries $40,000 from scholarship marketers.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... College Resource Management, and its principals, Scott Traynor and Steven Daughenbaugh will pay $40,000 in disgorgement, to settle FTC charges that they misrepresented their ability to win college financial aid for students. The Texan...

The following orders are final.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Hoechst Marion Roussel, (now Aventis) and Carderm Capital Docket No. D09293 Contact: Bradley Albert, 202-326-3679 Andrx Pharmaceuticals, Inc Docket No. D09293 Contact: Richard A. Feinstein, 202-326-3688; Alaska Healthcare...

FTC approves 5 El Paso divestitures.(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... The Commission approved five divestiture requests from El Paso Energy Corp. for selling: (1) a 0.48% interest as a general partner in the Iroquois Gas Transmission System to NJNR Pipeline Co.; (2) a 5.96% interest in Iroquois to TCPL...

FTC extends 1996 order for another year.(NABI to continue producing inhibitor)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... Following a request from the divestiture trustee, the FTC approved another one year extension for NABI to obtain all FDA approvals to manufacture Baxter's Factor VIII Inhibitor Treatments. Under the FTC's 1996 order with Baxter International...

Calendar.(Federal Trade Commission events)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... May 17 - FTC Commissioner Thomas B. Leary will speak at an Antitrust Healthcare Program jointly sponsored by the ABA Antitrust Section, ABA Health Law Section and the American Health Lawyers Association, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 1150 22nd St. NW,...

The Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled nomination hearing.(propoed Federal Trade Commission chairman Timothy Muris)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... The Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled nomination hearing for the Bush administration's proposed new FTC Chairman, George Mason University Professor Timothy Muris on May 16. The FTC is planning a farewell party for outgoing FTC Chairman...

FTC International Consumer Protection Program staff attorney Michael Donohue.(moving to OECD)(Brief Article)
May 14, 2001... FTC International Consumer Protection Program staff attorney Michael Donohue is moving on to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris as a consumer policy analyst in the OECD committee that brought us the 1999...