Public Integrity Project Files Lawsuit Against Trump Over TikTok Divestiture and Issues Records Demand to Paramount

The Department of Justice disbanded the Tax Division. It kneecapped the Antitrust Division and disbanded the KleptoCapture Task Force. State attorneys general obtained a big win in the Ticketmaster case a few weeks ago after the federal DOJ abandoned them.

Ballou previously authored the book Plunder about private equity. His latest book, When Companies Run the Courts, examines the rise of forced arbitration. Consumers win 89 percent of the time in small claims court but only 20 percent to 30 percent of the time in forced arbitration.

Consumers representing themselves without a lawyer win less than 10 percent of the time in forced arbitration. 2 percent of the time. Arbitration outcomes are almost always kept secret.

Jeffrey Piccolo’s wife died of anaphylactic shock after eating at a Disney World restaurant. Disney attempted to compel Jeffrey Piccolo into forced arbitration because he had signed up for Disney+ years earlier. Disney changed its position and backed down from forcing arbitration after massive public pushback.

A woman who worked on a cruise ship alleged she was raped by a coworker and was compelled into arbitration in the Philippines. Ballou said the legal system has changed over the past four decades to benefit large companies and put them beyond the reach of the law.

"When they represent themselves without a lawyer, it might be less than 10%. " The Public Integrity Project's actions come as federal enforcers appear indifferent to corporate corruption. Lower federal courts have shown willingness to act against perceived corruption even as the Supreme Court remains supportive of the administration.

Ballou expressed optimism that state attorneys general, private plaintiffs and organizations like his can still use existing legal tools effectively.