The Capitol Forum Podcast
The Capitol Forum
Exploring Solutions to Monopoly ProblemsFollowing forty years of laissez-faire antitrust enforcement and industry consolidation, the White House is considering a fundamental rethink of how to interpret, enforce, and rewrite antitrust law, and many questions remain unanswered for the antitrust community. On the heels of federal and state litigation against Google and Facebook, is Amazon next? Will the new administration put big agriculture, big banks, and big pharma in its crosshairs? Will the courts stop antitrust enforcers in their tracks? Will the Biden administration get cold feet?The Capitol Forum Podcast provides in-depth discussions with antitrust experts about the answers to these questions and about proposed solutions to the biggest monopoly problems of our time. Backed by the investigative resources and intellectual rigor of The Capitol Forum, Executive Editor and host Teddy Downey examines the effects of the current concentrations of market power across a vast array of industry verticals as he and his guests analyze the potential responses from the federal government. Offering thoughtful conversations with analysts and decision makers, The Capitol Forum Podcast provides everyone from C-Suite executives to policymakers, and all those in-between, strategic antitrust insights at the intersection of law, policy, and markets.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 27, 2026 • 45min
Corruption Enforcement Under Trump 2.0 (Second Request)
In this episode of Second Request, Executive Editor Teddy Downey sits down with Brendan Ballou, founder of the Public Integrity Project, to examine corruption enforcement under the Trump administration. They also discuss the legal implications of Trump's presidential pardons, which have been criticized for benefitting allies and donors. To learn more about The Capitol Forum follow us on Linkedin and Bluesky.
Mar 21, 2026 • 54min
Can This Bank Account Help You Buy a House? (Second Request)
Affordability is the hottest word in politics, but how does it actually become a reality? One idea: home savings accounts to help new homebuyers compete in an inflated real estate market.Today on Second Request, executive editor Teddy Downey sits down with Jon Schweppe, director of policy initiatives at the American Principles Project, to hear why he thinks home savings accounts could be a powerful tool to help bring down the cost of housing.
Mar 13, 2026 • 41min
The Ticketmaster Lawsuit That Could've Been (Second Request)
Today on Second Request, Executive Editor Teddy Downey is joined by Jonathan Kanter, the former Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice from 2021 to 2024. Together, they unpack the evolving antitrust argument against Ticketmaster.Editor’s note: This conversation was recorded before the Department of Justice announced a settlement with Ticketmaster on March 9, 2026.To learn more about The Capitol Forum follow us on Linkedin and Bluesky.
Mar 6, 2026 • 1h 8min
Warner Bros. and the 2026 Antitrust Outlook with Seth Bloom (Second Request)
Today on Second Request, Executive Editor Teddy Downey sits down with Seth Bloom, President and Founder of Bloom Strategic Counsel, to unpack what would have been the antitrust implications of Netflix's potential acquisition of Warner Bros. This conversation was recorded before Netflix announced they would be ending their bid for Warner Bros. To learn more about The Capitol Forum follow us on Linkedin and Bluesky.
Feb 27, 2026 • 1h 6min
The DOJ's Ambiguous Proposed Settlement with RealPage (Second Request)
In November, the Department of Justice made headlines when they announced a settlement with the software company RealPage in the DOJ's lawsuit against the company for antitrust violations. But, some have questioned that strategy, especially with several state governments pursuing action against the company. In this episode of Second Request, Executive Editor Teddy Downey unpacks the DOJ's settlement with David O. Fisher, Senior Counsel at the American Antitrust Institute, and the author of the recent commentary "Closing Costs, a Critical Examination of the DOJ's Proposed RealPage Settlement.”To learn more about The Capitol Forum follow us on Bluesky and Linkedin.
Feb 25, 2026 • 35min
Xponential Fitness' Predatory Franchise Fiasco (TCF Investigates)
When a Pittsburgh based business owner opened a franchise of one of Xponential Fitness' exercise brands, he had no idea it would end in bankruptcy, intimidation and threats of violence. Today on The Capitol Forum Investigates, investigative correspondent Kim Geiger discusses her multi-year investigation into the company Xponential Fitness, and reveals how they lured franchise owners into a predatory relationship that led multiple franchisees to file for bankruptcy, and has made Xponential the target of multiple government probes and lawsuits.
Feb 20, 2026 • 1h 11min
The Memory Chip Cartel (Second Request)
Today on Second Request, Executive Editor Teddy Downey sits down with Sacha Sloan a senior correspondent at The Capitol Forum to discuss Sacha's recent reporting on potential collusion in the microchip sector. Together they discuss how coordinated production cuts, reduced capital expenditures, and public signaling by major NAND manufacturers are contributing to a sharp supply crunch and record price increases. To learn more about The Capitol Forum follow us on Bluesky and Linkedin.
Feb 13, 2026 • 21min
Will Roblox Survive its Day in Court? (TCF Investigates)
2026 could make or break Roblox. That's because the multi-billion dollar children's video game company is mired in dozens of private lawsuits on top of multiple probes from several state governments, the FTC and the DOJ. In this episode of The Capitol Forum Investigates, reporter Ethan Ehrenhaft sits down with Arjun Singh to talk about the future of Roblox in the wake of major allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse on its platform.Follow The Capitol Forum on Bluesky or Linkedin
Jan 30, 2026 • 38min
Airlines Know More About You Than You Think (TCF Investigates)
Today on The Capitol Forum Investigates, correspondent Krista Brown discusses the use of artificial intelligence in airline pricing, and how it could potentially lead to personalized prices for plane tickets.
Aviation expert Bill McGee of the American Economic Liberties Project explains how consolidation in the airline sector has led to price gouging for passengers.
Noah Giansiracusa, author of the book Robin Hood Math: Take Control of the Algorithms That Control Your Life explains how companies can exploit personal user data without their knowledge to determine prices.
Follow The Capitol Forum on Linkedin and BlueskySend tips to tips@thecapitolforum.com
Jan 16, 2026 • 1h 1min
The Case Against AirBnb (Second Request)
Today on Second Request, Executive Editor Teddy Downey sits down with antitrust expert Hal Singer, who argues why AirBnb is violating antitrust laws, and how enforcement could address distortions in the housing and rental markets. The conversation centers on Singer’s recent article, “The Antitrust Case Against Airbnb,” which analyzes how Airbnb’s “Smart Pricing” algorithm may facilitate price coordination among short-term rental hosts, the broader effects of short-term rental platforms on housing supply and rents, and the challenges regulators face in applying antitrust law to platform-based and AI-driven pricing models.To learn more about The Capitol Forum click here.
