Judge Issues Order in Lockheed Antitrust Case

A federal judge handed down a harshly worded order requiring the government to explain in detail why it wants to keep secret thousands of documents in its antitrust case against Lockheed Martin Corp. Judge Emmet Sullivan, clearly impatient with the Justice Department, called its filing so far “woefully abysmal” and warned that his requirement for a full explanation by Monday morning was firm. Sullivan noted caustically that the government’s explanations so far “do not comply with precedent of long-standing that the government is well aware of.” The government has challenged Lockheed Martin’s proposed $9-billion acquisition of Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman Corp. as a violation of antitrust laws. A trial date for the case has been set for Sept. 8.