When the Compass-Anywhere deal closed in early January with little fanfare—only three months after it was announced—there were at least some raised eyebrows. A deal of that magnitude often elicits significant regulatory scrutiny, with multiple federal agencies given a chance over the course of months to examine how a merger will affect markets or whether proper processes were followed.
Now, a group of 18 Democratic lawmakers—some of whom previously expressed concern that the merger would have negative impacts on housing—are publicly questioning whether the Department of Justice (DOJ) ignored its own antitrust review process, asking Attorney General Pam Bondi to detail the procedures by which the deal was approved.
“These developments raise serious questions about whether—under your watch—the (DOJ)’s merger review process has been corrupted, whether antitrust experts were afforded appropriate independence, whether well-resourced parties had an uneven ability to obtain high-level access outside normal channels, and whether parties agreed to anything in return,” the letter reads.
Among the signees are moderates like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Amy Klobuchar, as well as progressive firebrands Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren.
The letter comes only days after Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater suddenly departed her position overseeing the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, which the lawmakers claim was actually her being “forced out.”
With midterm elections looming, housing remains a significant focus of politicians and regulators, with a long-running affordability crisis top of mind for consumers—and voters. The letter hones in on these consumer issues, claiming that the Compass-Anywhere merger will “exacerbate the housing crisis that has put homeownership out of reach for millions of Americans.”
“Affordability is even further constrained by market consolidations that hamstring consumers’ ability to negotiate agent commissions or limit their access to supply options through private home listing services, a practice being widely adopted by Compass,” the letter reads.
Compass did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
While President Donald Trump’s administration has touted progress on mortgage rates and promised new initiatives (like banning institutional investors) to bring housing costs down, housing remains broadly unaffordable, with both parties struggling to find solutions—largely focused on supply and deregulation.
But the letter accuses Bondi and the Trump administration of allowing political connections to supersede concerns about housing. They note that Compass hired Mike Davis, a controversial Trump ally with no formal role in government, to lobby on the deal, and point to numerous media reports that Slater and other Antitrust Division staff sought a deeper review of the merger, but were overruled.
“Corruption in this process could exacerbate the current housing crisis, under which foreclosures are up (26%) and mortgage delinquencies are at a four-year-high, while also setting a dangerous precedent that invites political interference in merger review across industries,” the letter reads.
With 17 specific questions, and a deadline of March 6, lawmakers are asking Bondi to provide details on, among other things, what specific competition concerns the Antitrust Division raised regarding the merger, what DOJ staff or other federal personnel were involved in decision-making and whether the DOJ ever requested more information from Compass.
“(R)eviews of proposed mergers must be guided by an evenhanded process that applies the same scrutiny to all parties—especially in cases like the Compass-Anywhere merger, where consolidation may raise risks of reduced competition, diminished transparency, and higher housing costs for millions of Americans,” the lawmakers wrote.
