Fight Corporate Monopolies

Background

Fight Corporate Monopolies was formed in 2020, where it released a series of ads attacking then-House Ways and Means Committee Chair Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) over his relationships with private equity groups ahead of the Massachusetts primaries. The group released similar ads targeting then-Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO) for his opposition to the Obama administration’s fiduciary rule. The press releases from the group announcing the ads noted that Faiz Shakir, the former campaign manager for Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-VT) 2020 Democratic primary campaign for president, was consulting for the group during the 2020 election cycle. ^{6 7}

Fight Corporate Monopolies is closely tied to the American Economic Liberties Project, a think tank promoting similar left-of-center economic policies, and its headquarters is listed at the same office space as the AELP. ^{1 2}  

Activities

The group’s activities include promoting public issue campaigns as well as providing donations to political candidates through independent expenditures. In 2022, the group backed Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) in his reelection bid while providing donations towards Congressional candidate Jamie McLeod-Skinner (D-OR). ^{8 9}

The group has advocated in favor of efforts by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to ban noncompete agreements, while also releasing ads against opponents of the ban including Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH). ¹⁰

The group has supported several corporate policy proposals by the Biden administration including the appointment of FTC chair Lina Khan and policy intended to reduce fees and price gouging. In July 2024, the group released a statement stated following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from his 2024 Presidential reelection campaign claiming, “it’s imperative that the Democratic Party builds on this fight against corporate power and maintains the key personnel that are embracing economic populist policies.’” ¹¹

Other campaigns led by the group include an “End Airline Greed” campaign to increase regulations on airline companies including the removal of “liability shields” that would prevent customers from suing said companies. ³

The group has advocated in favor of breaking up major ticketing website Ticketmaster as well as undoing the Ticketmaster/LiveNation merger, claiming the merger has led to high fees while allowing it to control nearly 70 percent of the live ticket market. ¹²

The group has also stated their opposition to non-disclosure agreements signed by state and local governments in relation to economic development deals. In July 2022, the group issued a joint press release with the American Economic Liberties Project claiming, “All across the country, public officials including mayors, city councilors, and governors have signed non-disclosure agreements when doling out corporate subsidies to corporations such as Amazon, Facebook, General Motors, and Panasonic.” ¹³