Trump’s Decision Upends DOJ’s Antitrust Push
The criminal charges emerged amid the DOJ’s heightened scrutiny of the live events sector, following its civil action accusing Live Nation of monopolizing the industry. Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater noted in July that the Leiweke prosecution aligned with a Trump executive order calling for rigorous enforcement of antitrust laws in the live ticketing ecosystem.
Slater said at the time that enforcing competition protections would help ensure “the live entertainment industry Americans know and love can be made accessible to all Americans in a free and fair market.”
Both Oak View and Legends agreed to cooperate with DOJ investigators, with Oak View paying a $15 million fine and Legends paying $1.5 million.
Leiweke Responds: “A New Lease on Life”
In a statement to Law360, Leiweke said he lacked “the words to adequately convey my profound gratitude to President Trump,” describing the past months as “a long and difficult journey” for his family.
He added that the pardon gives them “a new lease on life.”
Leiweke’s attorney, David Gerger of Gerger Hennessy Martin & Peterson LLP, said the decision “is the right result.”
