The Nation - News from March 12, 1987

The Justice Department denied it has deliberately failed to enforce antitrust laws on mergers, but critics accused the Administration of being so lax that states have been forced to try to preserve business competition. Sen. Howard M. Metzenbaum (D-Ohio), who heads the Senate Antitrust subcommittee, opened a hearing by accusing the Administration of fostering the most permissive merger climate in 70 years in order to advance the philosophy of free enterprise. The result has been a reduction of competition, he said.