Votes & Verdicts

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Episodes

154

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Votes and Verdicts is a series that examines the intersection of business, policy and law. It features conversations between Bloomberg Intelligence's team of litigation and policy analysts and thought leaders discussing legal and policy issues affecting markets and business decisions across many sectors.

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60 recent

June 12, 202639 min

Marijuana Rescheduling in Washington

What are the impacts of the Trump administration’s rescheduling of state-licensed medical cannabis to Schedule III from Schedule I? Could federal rescheduling extend to recreational marijuana later this year? If so, how should companies, firms and operators prepare for a world where significant tax relief and growth opportunities emerge? Would Congress face pressure to consider a federal tax on the budding sector if broader cannabis reform is in the cards? Foley Hoag Partner Jeffrey Schultz joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s Nathan Dean and Holly Froum on this episode of the Votes and Verdicts podcast to discuss these and other questions facing the industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

June 5, 202628 min

Bayer Appeal of Roundup Suits at Supreme Court

UCLA Law Professor William Boyd joins Bloomberg Intelligence litigation analyst Holly Froum on this episode of the Votes and Verdicts podcast to discuss Bayer’s appeal to the US Supreme Court of a $1.25 million verdict holding it liable for failing to warn that weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. They discuss Bayer’s arguments, the arguments’ vulnerabilities and how the court is likely to rule. They also explore the potential immunity Bayer has from future product-liability lawsuits concerning glyphosate products pursuant to a February executive order.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 29, 202627 min

Social Media Addicts, Seed Antitrust, AI Tax

A multitude of suits against social media companies like Alphabet, ByteDance, Meta and Snap accusing them of causing addiction and other harms lead this episode of Bloomberg Intelligence’s Votes and Verdicts podcast. Matt Schettenhelm previews a trial against Meta by over 30 state attorneys general set to start Aug. 17, with tens of billions in damages and penalties at stake, creating major pressure to settle. Justin Teresi discusses a Justice Department probe of exclusionary conduct in the corn and soybean seed markets, with companies like Bayer and Corteva potentially exposed. Andrew Silverman explains why AI-driven productivity gains could increase tax pressure on companies like Amazon, Nvidia and Intel tied to compute, energy and infrastructure as governments adapt tax systems previously built around labor and payrolls.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 22, 202624 min

Joyce Adetutu on Tariff Risks, Refunds

Joyce Adetutu, a partner and trade attorney at Vinson & Elkins, joins Bloomberg Intelligence litigation analyst Holly Froum on this episode of the Votes and Verdicts podcast to discuss the status of refunds tied to tariffs the Supreme Court found unlawful in February. They explore how a potential appeal by the US government could jeopardize importers’ refund rights, new tariffs that may be on the horizon, the strength of potential legal challenges to those tariffs and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 15, 202644 min

Can Trump Fix the Housing Affordability Pinch?

The wave of policy proposals shaping the debate around the growing US housing affordability crisis is the focus of this episode of the Votes and Verdicts podcast. Host Mike Sasso is joined by Jim Tobin, CEO of the National Association of Home Builders, and Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Drew Reading to unpack the latest signals from President Donald Trump on deregulation and federal land proposals, along with accusations of price fixing and controversial mortgage ideas. The conversation dives into the real drivers behind high home prices, including interest rates, supply constraints, labor challenges and local regulations. The panel also examines whether government intervention can truly solve affordability or if the market must correct itself.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 8, 202650 min

Why Mortgage Rates Are Stuck Above 6%

Mortgage rates remain above 6%, home prices are still high and many homeowners are locked into ultra-low rates from the pandemic era. In the second installment of Votes and Verdicts’ three-part housing affordability miniseries, Bloomberg Intelligence editor Michael Sasso speaks with Erica Adelberg, BI senior mortgage-backed securities analyst, and Phillip Millman, founder of Bell Boulevard Consulting and a former Federal Housing Finance Agency executive. They discuss why mortgage rates have been so slow to fall, whether Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s bond purchases can move the needle, the limits of portable mortgages and 50-year loans, and why the bigger affordability challenge may be America’s shortage of housing supply.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 5, 202639 min

Proposed Ban on Institutional Home Ownership

The Trump administration is seeking to ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes to improve housing affordability. Proposed Senate legislation, part of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, would allow limited exceptions for large investors planning major renovations and others who operate build-to-rent communities. In both cases, investors would have to sell the homes within seven years. Will this bill become law? What could it mean for companies that own single-family rental homes? And would it actually improve housing affordability? These questions and more are discussed on the latest episode of Votes and Verdicts, featuring Jeff Langbaum, Bloomberg Intelligence senior REIT analyst, and David Howard, principal and founder of Real Estate & Housing Advisors. Michael Sasso, a Bloomberg Intelligence editor, hosts. This is the first installment of a three-part miniseries exploring housing affordability. Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 1, 202652 min

Iran, Musk v. OpenAI, Live Nation, Visa, Pot

A deadline for US President Donald Trump to seek congressional authorization for further military action in Iran, the first week of trial in Elon Musk's suit against OpenAI, and next steps for Live Nation after being found liable for antitrust violations lead this episode of Bloomberg Intelligence's Votes and Verdicts podcast, with analysis from Nathan Dean, Matt Schettenhelm, and Jen Rie. Schettenhelm also explores FCC threats to revoke Disney's broadcast licenses. Justin Teresi analyzes a Visa and Mastercard antitrust case over swipe fees. Andrew Silverman and Holly Froum explore tax and litigation implications of marijuana rescheduling, as well as Trump's Maritime Action Plan and NEC litigation against Abbott and Reckitt. Elliott Stein discusses DOJ's probe of the Fed’s Jerome Powell and prediction-markets litigation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

April 24, 202647 min

Treyz on Trump, Iran, Fed, Midterms, Tariffs

What role will Congress play in the future of the Iran conflict? How will the outcome of the US midterm elections affect companies like Apple, Bank of America and Amazon.com? Will President Donald Trump spend the last years of his presidency focused on tariffs? These questions and more were discussed on our latest episode of Votes and Verdicts, where Veda Partners co-founder and director of economic research Henrietta Treyz joined us. Other topics included whether Sen. Thom Tillis will lift his hold on Kevin Warsh’s nomination for Federal Reserve chair and which candidates to watch ahead of the 2028 presidential election.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

April 17, 202647 min

Trump’s Influence on Energy, Gasoline Prices

With the US announcing a blockade on Iran and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz remaining in flux, energy prices will become an ever more important issue ahead of the US midterm elections in November. In this episode of Votes and Verdicts, Bloomberg Intelligence’s senior energy analyst Rob Barnett joins us to discuss Washington’s influence on energy, what President Donald Trump can and can’t do to lower gasoline prices and the impact of the Iranian conflict on the renewables sector. We also discussed how companies like Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Occidental Petroleum, Continental Resources and First Solar can navigate developments in Washington.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.