In like a Leon, out like a lamb: The Tipline for 22 July 2019

Would any hearing involving the Department of Justice’s antitrust division before Judge Richard Leon be complete without a scolding from the bench? On Friday, the judge lectured the division before oral arguments in his Tunney Act review of the CVS/Aetna merger settlement, saying the agency had “misrepresented” the facts when claiming it “was not permitted to present witnesses” during hearings held in June. However, Judge Leon finished the day with a softer tone. He said he “appreciates the novelty of these proceedings” and that it is an “extremely high priority for the court” to work out these important issues potentially affecting millions of Americans.