States Expand Antitrust Muscle to Keep Pressure on Big Business

Prosecutors combating tech giants and other industry titans are growing their ranks as state attorneys general across the spectrum become more comfortable wielding antitrust law against big business.

California is expanding its nation-leading team, adding eight new antitrust hires this June and intending to bring on more in the following months. It joined the Justice Department and roughly 30 states suing to break up Ticketmaster and Live Nation last week.

States want industry—both local and national—on notice, New Jersey Attorney General Mathew J. Platkin (D) said in an interview. That includes his state’s scrutiny of pharmaceutical giants as well as ...