Votes & Verdicts

Key catalysts for 2H are the US election’s impacts, including on the Inflation Reduction Act, DOJ antitrust cases vs. Google and reproposed bank-capital rules. In this episode of the Votes and Verdicts podcast, host and Bloomberg Intelligence senior litigation analyst Elliott Stein gathers the BI team to discuss the outlook for these and other developments. Among the topics and conclusions: The CFPB credit-card late-fee rule likely gets struck; anti-money-laundering probes of TD Bank and others may end in fines; key rulings are likely in FTC suits to block Kroger-Albertsons and Tapestry-Capri deals; and TikTok likely beats the US. Stein is joined by BI’s Nathan Dean, Jennifer Rie, Justin Teresi, Matt Schettenhelm, Tamlin Bason, Holly Froum and Duane Wright

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

California voters in 2020 adopted a ballot initiative — Proposition 22 — that was considered critical for gig-economy companies like Lyft, Uber and DoorDash. The rule exempted app-based drivers from the state’s strict worker classification laws. But now, the California Supreme Court has heard arguments in a case that threatens to strike it down. What is this legal fight about, who is likely to win, and when will it play out? In this episode of the Votes and Verdicts podcast, Bloomberg Intelligence litigation analyst Matt Schettenhelm discusses the issue with BI litigation analyst Jennifer Rie.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Basel III is not just about how much capital the banks have to hold, but what the lending environment looks like and what impact that has on businesses of all sizes and the ability of these institutions to serve them, which means it has an impact on employment and on the economy, Florida Bankers Association CEO and former CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger tells the Bloomberg Intelligence Votes and Verdicts podcast. BI analysts Elliott Stein and Nathan Dean hosted Kraninger to discuss the status of US financial regulation, including the Basel III Endgame and cryptocurrencies. Among other topics were CFPB independence, litigation challenging the agency’s funding structure and whether the SEC and CFTC should be merged.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can the FCC regulate broadband service? Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Matt Schettenhelm joins colleague Jennifer Rie in this Votes and Verdicts brief to discuss the FCC’s latest advance of net-neutrality rules. They explore how the legal challenge to the agency’s rules is likely to play out.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the path and timeline for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to exit conservatorship? How should the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s independence be restored? Did the FHFA exceed its authority in implementing the Fannie-Freddie profit sweep? How should the Basel III Endgame proposal be improved? Do other regulators have problematic work environments like the FDIC? In this episode of the Votes and Verdicts podcast, Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Elliott Stein and Ben Elliott host Mark Calabria, former director of the FHFA and chief economist to former Vice President Mike Pence, to examine these questions and more. They also discuss Calabria’s history of seeing Grateful Dead and Phish shows.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Supreme Court ruling on First Amendment shields for Alphabet, Meta and other big-tech platforms, a liability verdict in the Justice Department’s antitrust case v. Google, and a hearing on a proposed $30 billion class settlement between Visa, Mastercard, credit card issuers and merchants are June catalysts to watch. In this litigation and policy outlook episode of Bloomberg Intelligence’s Votes and Verdicts podcast, host Elliott Stein, BI financials litigation analyst, discusses these and other catalysts with BI colleagues. Apple could get a ruling on its plan for compliance with the injunction in Epic v. Apple. The SEC’s private-funds rule likely gets struck down and key rulings in GSK Zantac litigation and a suit challenging the CFPB credit-card late-fee rule are also discussed. The team also talk about legislation that would exempt oncology therapies from AstraZeneca, Roche and AbbVie from IRA price cuts. In telecommunications, they analyze plans to extend the Affordable Connectivity Program and its $6-$7 billion subsidy for 2024. And finally, they consider proposed crypto legislation.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Biden-era rules are facing skeptical courts, creating a pivotal moment for US financial regulation impacting banks, asset managers and crypto platforms. Billions of dollars in relief could be heading to the industry if such rules are overturned. Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Nathan Dean and Elliott Stein host Todd Phillips, assistant professor of law, Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University, to discuss the future of US crypto policy, the rule known as the Basel III endgame, the future of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and how the US Supreme Court might opine on financial regulation in the US going forward.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Credit Card Competition Act, a bid to lower fees for retailers and consumers, could increase competitive pressures for Visa and Mastercard if enacted. The bill requires banks above $100 billion in assets to offer more than one credit-card network. Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Nathan Dean and Elliott Stein hosted US Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois to discuss the measure. They also examine whether airline reward programs would disappear if the bill were to become law. Additionally, Dean and Stein discussed recent developments in the financial litigation and policy space.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Duane Wright discusses delivery-system reform and the hospital-at-home program with Mark Prather, on this episode of the Votes and Verdicts podcast. Mark is the co-founder and executive chairman of DispatchHealth, a leading in-home medical provider company. They discuss Mark’s background as a board-certified emergency medicine specialist, the spark that led him to focus on improving care delivery, and the outlook for the US Congress to extend the current hospital-at-home waiver, set to expire December 31.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ByteDance has signaled it won’t comply with a new US law requiring it to sell its TikTok video-sharing app, setting the stage for what likely will be a lengthy legal battle that could end up at the Supreme Court. TikTok faces rising pressure of a ban in the US if China-based ByteDance doesn’t divest the app. BI Analysts Matthew Schettenhelm, Tamlin Bason and Mandeep Singh analyze what’s at stake for the company and its competitors, and what’s next in Congress, the courts and the EU.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.