Obama's shakedown fund raiser with people he sued

National Journal:
That best-selling author, Barack Obama, is scheduled to appear at a campaign fundraiser in New York on June 18, hosted by members of the publishing industry.

That would be the same President Obama whose administration filed anti-trust cases against five leading publishers in April, claiming they exercise an abusive monopoly.

In any other field of business, the timing would suggest a classic political shakedown - Nice little literary business you got here. It would be a shame if anything were to happen to it - or an attempt by a shady commercial interest to grease its way in Washington.


But no eyebrows are raised, largely because the book business is so goofy and medieval. The publishers may have done what the Justice Department says they did - conspired with Apple against Amazon to charge more for e-books - but clumsily, in desperation.

Amazon was doing to e-books what Apple had done to rock and roll - setting cut-rate prices ($9.99 per e-book) on art to corner the market on gadgets.
... 
A shakedown is a shakedown even if it is Obama doing the shakedown.   The National Journal should not be making excuses for him.  The fundraiser reeks of extortion.

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