# Dan Rayfield

Type: Person

Source: Legal & RegTech Intelligence Brief — https://getlegalbrief.com/entity/dan-rayfield
Canonical HTML page: https://getlegalbrief.com/entity/dan-rayfield

## Timeline

- **2026-08-03**: 25 states file lawsuit — A coalition of 25 U.S. states sues the Trump administration in the U.S. Court of International Trade, arguing the tariffs lack rational basis and exceed executive authority.
- **2026-07-24**: New Section 301 tariffs take effect — Tariffs of 10% and 12.5% are imposed on 60 trading partners under Section 301, replacing expired temporary 10% tariffs, with forced labor as the stated justification.
- **2026-07-10**: Oregon Signals Antitrust Expansion — Commentary reports that Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and other states are preparing significant independent antitrust actions in response to federal pullback.
- **2026-06-17**: Oregon Creates Mergers Division — The Oregon Emergency Board approved funding for a new Mergers Division, adding 16 positions and tripling the state’s antitrust enforcement capacity.
- **2026-04**: Live Nation/Ticketmaster Trial Begins — Oregon and a multistate coalition went to trial in the Live Nation/Ticketmaster antitrust case, challenging alleged monopolistic practices.
- **2026-02-20**: Supreme Court strikes down IEEPA tariffs — The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the president to unilaterally impose tariffs, forcing refunds to importers.
- **2026-02**: DOJ Antitrust Leadership Forced Out — The top lawyer overseeing merger and monopoly enforcement at the U.S. Department of Justice was forced out, leading to a mass exodus of career attorneys from the division.
- **2025-01-20**: Second Trump Administration Begins — The transition marks a shift toward a more permissive federal antitrust regime, with enforcement priorities favoring business consolidation.

## Recent coverage (4 stories)

### 25 States Sue Over 10–12.5% Section 301 Tariffs, Citing No Rational Basis
2026-08-04 00:41:47 · Sentiment: Negative · Impact: 7/10 · Sources: 3

A coalition of 25 states challenges the Trump administration’s latest global tariffs in the Court of International Trade, arguing the forced-labor rationale is a pretext and the tariffs exceed executive authority. The case tests the limits of Section 301 and could hinge on whether the court finds a minimal rational connection to the stated purpose.
Full story: https://getlegalbrief.com/story/states-sue-trump-section-301-tariffs

### Oregon AG Triples Antitrust Capacity with 16 New Hires in Mergers Division
2026-07-25 06:13:05 · Sentiment: Neutral · Impact: 5/10 · Sources: 4

As federal antitrust enforcement collapses, Oregon establishes a standalone Mergers Division with 16 new positions, doubling its attorney count and signaling a new era of state-led merger challenges. The move sets a precedent for other states and raises the stakes for corporate dealmakers navigating a fragmented regulatory environment.
Full story: https://getlegalbrief.com/story/oregon-triples-antitrust-capacity-legal-shift

### 12 states sue to block $110B Paramount-WBD merger, alleging 'media behemoth'
2026-07-14 00:29:16 · Sentiment: Negative · Impact: 8/10 · Sources: 1

A coalition of 12 Democratic state attorneys general filed an antitrust lawsuit to stop Paramount’s $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, arguing the merged entity would dominate film and TV markets. The suit challenges federal clearance, raising novel questions about state enforcement powers.
Full story: https://getlegalbrief.com/story/california-states-sue-paramount-wbd-110b-antitrust

### Oregon AG’s Antitrust Push Exploits Federal M&A Leniency, Shifting Compliance Burden
2026-07-10 22:01:25 · Sentiment: Neutral · Impact: 6/10 · Sources: 2

With federal antitrust enforcement under Trump becoming notably M&A-friendly, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield is mobilizing state-level actions that could reshape merger compliance. This signals a resurgence of state antitrust activism, forcing businesses to navigate an increasingly fragmented regulatory landscape.
Full story: https://getlegalbrief.com/story/oregon-antitrust-expansion-federal-pullback-legal

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This page is a machine-readable summary. Sentiment measures the directional read of each development for this entity, not the tone of the reporting; impact weights consequence, not syndication reach. See https://getlegalbrief.com/guides/methodology for the full editorial methodology.