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Bradblog
12/19/09
Anti-trust probes also said underway in 14 states...
On Thursday we reported that Florida's AG office was investigating the recent acquisition of Diebold's voting machine unit by its larger/largest "competitor," ES&S, for possible violations of anti-trust statutes in the state. Today, the New York Post reports that the U.S. Dept. of Justice is also actively investigating the same thing --- along with 14 states in total --- and may "file a suit to unwind the deal" next month...
The Department of Justice could vote down an already-completed merger of the two biggest makers of voting machines.
The Justice Department, Florida and 13 other states have opened investigations into the September marriage between Election Systems & Software and Diebold's Premier Election Solutions, which played a controversial role in the 2004 presidential election, according to a source with direct knowledge of the process.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is planning to hold hearings on the matter next month, the source said.
Even though the merger gave ES&S a whopping 70 percent of the voting-machine market share, the $5 million deal was too small to require government approval.
Now, the Justice Department is looking into the matter and next month could file a suit to unwind the deal, the source said.
Continue reading here.
