Washington, D.C. —  The American Economic Liberties Project released the following statement in response to news that the Federal Trade Commission will review Amazon’s proposed acquisition of MGM Studios.

“When Amazon announced it planned to acquire MGM Studios less that 24 hours after being sued for anti-competitive conduct, Amazon was betting that antitrust enforcers were still asleep at the wheel. It’s easy to understand why. When Amazon acquired Whole Foods in 2017, making clear that their intention was to dominate the economy, the Federal Trade Commission didn’t bat eye,” said Morgan Harper, Director of Policy & Advocacy at the American Economic Liberties Project. “But things are changing. Policymakers now recognize that Amazon engages in a wide range of anticompetitive tactics that hurt workers, small businesses, and consumers. And finally, they’re taking action. We applaud the FTC for moving to review this merger and encourage them to exert their authority to stop it.”

Learn more about Economic Liberties here.

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The American Economic Liberties Project works to ensure America’s system of commerce is structured to advance, rather than undermine, economic liberty, fair commerce, and a secure, inclusive democracy. Economic Liberties believes true economic liberty means entrepreneurs and businesses large and small succeed on the merits of their ideas and hard work; commerce empowers consumers, workers, farmers, and engineers instead of subjecting them to discrimination and abuse from financiers and monopolists; foreign trade arrangements support domestic security and democracy; and wealth is broadly distributed to support equitable political power.