AR-News: US: Furriers hit with anti-trust subpoenas!!! Sandy Parker Report re US Justice Dept.

[Barry Kent MacKay]

[Has any mainstream media mentioned this???  BKM]

Here are some details taken from the Sandy Parker Report - June 7, 2004

SKIN DEALERS AND BROKERS WERE REACTING WITH SHOCK AND DISBELIEF
FOLLOWING SERVICE OF SUBPOENAS BY THE U.S. JUSTICE DEPT. IN CONNECTION
WITH A GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION OF POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS OF ANTI-TRUST
LAWS. THE REVERBERATIONS WERE INTERNATIONAL, SINCE THE SUBPOENAS WERE
SERVED ON BUYERS FROM EUROPE, ASIA AND CANADA AS WELL AS
AMERICANS...There also were some who, after studying the 23-page
subpoena, felt the investigators had spent considerable time on the
issue and would not have proceeded if they didn't believe the case had
merit.

MOST OF THE SUBPOENAS WERE SERVED DURING THE AMERICAN LEGEND
AUCTION IN SEATTLE, BOTH AT THE SALE ITSELF AND AT THE BUYERS'
HOTELS...In most cases, they require the submission of pertinent
documents by July 7 and personal appearances in Seattle over the next
two months. A few recipients said they were only required to submit
documents. But the documentation being sought amounts to virtually all
company records in connection with buying and selling - including
agreements -  dating from Jan. 1, 2000, and consisting of catalogs,
computer files, databases, Internet usage files, calendars and phone
logs. A department spokesperson declined to discuss any aspect of the
subpoena, or even how many were issued. Between 40 and 80 firms were
reported served.

CLEARLY, A PRIME TARGET OF THE INVESTIGATION ARE
AUCTION BROKERS WHO, ALLEGEDLY, MAY HAVE AGREED AMONG THEMSELVES TO
LIMIT BIDDING ON CERTAIN STRINGS OF SKINS IN ORDER TO KEEP PRICES DOWN.

SOME THINK AN EVEN BIGGER QUESTION MAY BE: WILL THE FUR INDUSTRY GET A
BLACK EYE AT THE RETAIL LEVEL AS A RESULT OF THE GOVERNMENT
INVESTIGATION? The predominant feeling is that it will not. Fur has
become strongly entrenched in the fashion picture in recent years and
the retail customer is not generally concerned with intra-industry
problems or those that might be raised by the government on
restraint-of-trade or other issues. If the consumer wants fur, as seems
to be the increasing case, an anti-trust charge by the government would
hardly measure up to a desire for a new coat or jacket. The typical
consumer has already overcome anti-fur issues raised by animal-rights
organizations and is now thinking more freely in terms of her own
wardrobe and how she - or he - wants to look.

______________________________

Barry Kent MacKay
Canadian Representative 
Animal Protection Institute 
www.api4animals.org