Consumer group urges Senate to probe Apple and e-book publishers

A consumer group sent a letter to the top senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, urging the lawmakers to probe Apple's agreements with e-book publishers.

The Consumer Federation of America said they believe Apple and the publishers are guilty of price-fixing, and antitrust regulators should take action against the companies. "We also believe that the committee should give close attention to the e‐book price fixing case. When it does, we are confident the Committee will find that vigorous action to stop this abusive practices is in order," the group wrote in a letter to subcommittee Chairman Herb Kohl (D-WI) and ranking member Mike Lee (R-Utah). Although the Senate does not have the power to take action against individual companies engaging in anticompetitive conduct, the antitrust subcommittee often probes business deals and practices.