Minnesota Joins Anti-Trust Lawsuit Against Amazon
St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - Minnesota is aligning with 16 other states and the Federal Trade Commission to sue Amazon.
State Attorney General Keith Ellison and the other state attorneys general are alleging Amazon "is a monopolist that uses a set of interlocking anti-competitive and unfair strategies to illegally maintain its monopoly power." The lawsuit claims Amazon's actions allow it to "stifle innovation and competition, degrade quality for shoppers, overcharge sellers, and prevent rivals from unfairly competing against Amazon."
“Millions of Minnesotans shop on Amazon, and large and small Minnesota businesses sell on Amazon’s marketplace as well. But Amazon’s illegal conduct has significantly stifled competition for much of the online economy and has driven up the cost of shopping — and selling — on Amazon for everyone,” Attorney General Ellison said. “Markets should be fair for all businesses and all consumers, and whether you’re buying necessities or trying to make a living, everyone deserves the benefits of healthy competition — including fair prices when you’re shopping, and reasonable fees when you’re doing business."
A news release issued by Ellison's office says the lawsuit seeks a permanent federal injunction prohibiting Amazon from engaging in unlawful conduct and ordering the company to loosen with it terms Amazon's “monopolist” control to restore competition. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Washington state. The other states joining Minnesota in the legal action are Wisconsin, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
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