Jeff Jackson, Fellow AGs Win Live Nation Monopoly Case

Jeff Jackson, Fellow AGs Win Live Nation Case

After a seven-week trial, a jury found in favor of NC Attorney General Jackson and 33 other attorneys general in their case against Live Nation and Ticketmaster on Wednesday, holding the companies liable on all counts for illegally monopolizing the ticketing and large amphitheater markets for live entertainment events.

“The verdict’s in. We just won our case against Live Nation and Ticketmaster on all claims, and we’re closer to breaking down their illegal monopoly over the live entertainment industry,” Jackson stated in a press release.

The US Department of Justice joined the suit at its start but settled with the companies in March. Jackson and his counterparts did not approve of the settlement and continued to pursue the case.

“This was one of the biggest antitrust cases in years,” Jackson stated in a press release. “When the US Dept. of Justice announced in March that it had cut a deal with Live Nation and Ticketmaster behind the backs of the attorneys general, I rejected their secret deal because it failed to address sky-high ticket prices for concertgoers. We wanted the jury to hear the evidence and see what consumers have known for years.”

Nevertheless, President Donald Trump’s DOJ attempted to take credit for the ruling on social media. “The DOJ was proud to lead a settlement in this matter that brings the American people instant relief,” the department’s antitrust division crowed. Readers added a community note to help jog the DOJ’s memory: The DOJ settled separately with Live Nation … on limited terms — no breakup, no liability admission, and reforms criticized as insufficient.”

Jackson made sure to set the record straight, responding, “You bailed in the middle of trial after cutting a sweetheart deal with Live Nation, tried to pressure the rest of us to accept it, but we pressed on and won the trial without you. Congratulations to consumers, not you.”

The case will now head to a second phase where the judge will decide the appropriate remedies to break Live Nation’s hold on the live entertainment industry and restore competition, according to Jackson.

Crime Down, Homicides Up in Quarterly Crime Report

CMPD released its first quarter public safety update on Thursday, reporting reductions in violent crime that continue last year’s downward trend, though homicides are up.

The department reported a 23% drop in overall crime compared to the first quarter of 2025, including an 18% drop in violent crime and a 23% decrease in property crime.

Robberies were down 26% and aggravated assaults down 18% compared to 2025 while homicides saw a 38% increase from 16 to 22 in the first quarter. That puts the city on pace to see 88 homicides this year, which would still be a drop from last year’s total of 96, though gun violence often peaks in summertime.

“I want you, the public, to know that we approach this challenge with urgency, transparency and a commitment to identifying every measure and tactic that will help prevent violence,” said CMPD Chief Estella Patterson on Thursday.

Read the details of Thursday’s report here.

East Charlotte Data Center Petition Deferred

Developers hoping to rezone 58 acres off Hood Road along the Reedy Creek Greenway in east Charlotte to build a controversial data center has deferred the hearing originally scheduled for Monday night’s Charlotte City Council zoning meeting.

The petition, which has drawn significant community opposition including an opposing petition with more than 4,000 signatures, has not been withdrawn and is currently scheduled for a hearing on May 18.

Hearings allow community members to speak for or against a given petition, with developers or their representatives on hand to address any questions that council may have. Council will vote on the petition at a future meeting, not immediately following the hearing.

Residents have raised concerns with power usage, environmental impact and potential noise coming from the facility. District 5 rep JD Mazuera Arias brought up the rezoning petition during Monday night’s business meeting, asking his fellow council members to look into the issues with the proposal before it comes in front of them.

Mazuera Arias acknowledged that the proposed data center is a telecommunications facility and not a “hyper-scale” data center like the ones causing controversy around the country but said he opposes it regardless because a rezoning would allow developers to expand on that usage in the future.

“We don’t know the impact of [data centers] right now, but we are seeing cases come from Oregon and other places that have demonstrated awful health and environmental impacts,” Mazuera Arias said. “And if you have it near a residential neighborhood, that is very concerning.”

Community members can sign up to speak in person at any public meeting at the city’s website.

Hornets Fall Short in Race for the Playoffs

The Charlotte Hornets’ decade-long playoff drought continues despite an electrifying win in the first game of the play-in tournament on Tuesday night.

Following a few big shots from recent addition and UNC alum Coby White in the second half of Tuesday’s game that brought them to overtime against the Miami Heat, LaMelo Ball finished things off with two clutch drives, earning the win at Spectrum Center.

However, the winning team of Tuesday’s game did not advance to the playoffs, instead having to travel to Orlando to play the Magic, the losing team of the other play-in game. The Hornets had a horrid showing during that game on Friday night, losing 121-90 and ending their season.

Org Highlights GOP Candidates’ Association with Harvey West

The Justice Project on Monday launched ProtectKidsNotPredators.com, a website where North Carolinians can demand that their state and local elected officials give up the dirty donations they received from Harvey West, a convicted child sex offender, according to a release from the Justice Project.

West was a 28-year-old police officer when he was charged with raping two 14-year-old girls and a 16-year-old girl, resulting in child sex offense convictions and his placement on the sex offender registry.

West, who says he was vocal and open about his past to Republican officials and has not expressed remorse in his public interviews, was promoted high up in the North Carolina Republican Party by then-chairman Michael Whatley, now running for US Senate against former Gov. Roy Cooper, according to the release.

West became a major political fundraiser, hosting Republicans’ big money annual event for judicial candidates, the NC Judicial Picnic, at his estate in Plymouth. All five of North Carolina’s Republican Supreme Court justices and Sarah Stevens, the 2026 Republican nominee for NC Supreme Court, were featured and attended West’s event, raising tens of thousands of dollars for their campaigns, the release stated.