No. 24-420

Bill H. Walmsley, et al. v. Federal Trade Commission, et al.

Lower Court: Eighth Circuit
Docketed: 2024-10-15
Status: GVR
Type: Paid
Amici (3)Relisted (4) Experienced Counsel
Tags: administrative-law constitutional-challenge delegation-of-power federal-trade-commission private-enforcement rulemaking-authority
Key Terms:
JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2025-06-26 (distributed 4 times)
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act unlawfully delegates enforcement and rulemaking power to a private corporation

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 3051-3060, delegates broad enforcement powers over regulated parties in the horseracing industry to a private corporation, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. Among other things, the statute empowers the Authority to conduct investigations, impose sanctions, and sue in federal court. §§ 3054, 3057. In addition, the Act grants the Authority broad rulemaking power. The Act requires the Federal Trade Commission to approve rules proposed by the Authority even if it disagrees with those rules as a policy matter, so long as they are “consistent” with the Act and the FTC’s own regulations, § 3053(c)(2), though the Act also grants the FTC the after-the-fact power to “abrogate, add to, and modify” Authority rules, § 3053(e). The questions presented are: 1. Whether the Act unlawfully delegates enforcement power to the Authority. 2. Whether the Act unlawfully delegates rulemaking power to the Authority.1 1 Two other cases currently pending before the Court present substantially similar questions. See Horseracing Integrity and Safety Auth., Inc. v. Nat'l Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Ass’n, No. 24A287 (stay app. filed Sept. 19, 2024); Oklahoma v. United States, No. 23-402 (pet. filed Oct. 13, 2023).

Docket Entries

2025-08-01
Judgment Issued.
2025-06-30
Petition GRANTED. Judgment VACATED and case REMANDED for further consideration in light of <i>FCC</i> v. <i>Consumers’ Research</i>, 606 U. S. ___ (2025).
2025-06-30
Motion for leave to file amicus brief filed by Cato Institute DENIED.
2025-06-26
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/26/2025.
2025-01-13
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/17/2025.
2024-12-04
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/10/2025.
2024-11-26
Rescheduled.
2024-11-19
2024-11-19
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/6/2024.
2024-11-14
2024-11-14
Waiver of the 14-day waiting period for the distribution of the petition pursuant to Rule 15.5 filed by petitioner.
2024-11-14
2024-11-14
Amicus brief of New Civil Liberties Alliance submitted.
2024-11-14
Motion of Cato Institute for leave to file amicus brief submitted.
2024-11-14
Waiver of Bill H. Walmsley, et al. of the 14-day waiting period submitted.
2024-11-06
Brief of respondent Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority filed.
2024-11-06
Brief of respondents Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, et al. in opposition filed.
2024-11-06
2024-11-06
Response of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority Respondents to the Petition for a Writ of Certiorari of Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, et al. submitted.
2024-11-06
Brief for the Federal Respondents of Federal Trade Commission submitted.
2024-10-10
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due November 14, 2024)

Attorneys

Bill H. Walmsley, et al.
Austin Lewis RaynorPacific Legal Foundation, Petitioner
Frank Dawson Garrison IVPacific Legal Foundation, Petitioner
Frank Dawson Garrison IVPacific Legal Foundation, Petitioner
Cato Institute
Thomas Arthur BerryCato Institute, Amicus
Thomas Arthur BerryCato Institute, Amicus
Federal Trade Commission
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
Elizabeth B. PrelogarSolicitor General, Respondent
Sarah M. HarrisActing Solicitor General, Respondent
Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, et al.
Pratik Arvind ShahAkin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP, Respondent
Pratik Arvind ShahAkin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP, Respondent
New Civil Liberties Alliance
Sheng Tao LiNew Civil Liberties Alliance, Amicus
Sheng Tao LiNew Civil Liberties Alliance, Amicus