GENERATE ROUGHLY TWO-THIRDS OF THE ELECTRICITY FOR THE ENTIRE ZOO. CAMPUS KROGER CEO RODNEY MCMULLEN TESTIFIED THE HIGH STAKES COURT HEARING IN PORTLAND. HE WAS TRYING TO
CONVINCE A FEDERAL JUDGE NOT TO BLOCK THE BIGGEST ACQUISITION IN KROGER'S HISTORY. WCPO 9.19, REPORTER DAN MONK SPOKE WITH A BLOOMBERG REPORTER WHO WATCH
YESTERDAY'S TESTIMONY. SHE SAID MCMULLIN WAS FRIENDLY AND UNFLUSTERED.
>> I MEAN, I WOULD MCMULLIN IS PRETTY CHARMING. LEANNE ISLAND HAS BEEN COVERING ANTI-TRUST CASES FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.
HE WAS PRETTY GOOD AT LIKE GIVING GIVING THE CELL OR I OR WHY HE THINKS THIS MERGER IS IMPORTANT.
>> RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
MOMENT HAS BEEN SELLING THE DEAL SINCE 2022. WHEN HE TESTIFIED BEFORE THE U.S.
SENATE, THIS MERGER WILL ENHANCE COMPETITION IN PORTLAND ON WEDNESDAY.
MCMULLIN WAS THE FIRST WITNESS CALLED AFTER THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION RESTED ITS CASE.
THE FTC IS TRYING TO CONVINCE A FEDERAL JUDGE THAT KROGER WILL HARM CONSUMERS AND WORKERS IF IT'S ALLOWED TO BUY ONE OF ITS LARGEST RIVALS. ONE POINT HE MADE WAS WHEN HE
FIRST STARTED OUT WORKING.
>> THE BIGGEST PRESSURE AT THE TIME AS P AND THAT IS A GROCERY CHAIN THAT DOESN'T EVEN EXIST ANYMORE. AND SO HE HAS SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES OVER THE YEARS, INCLUDING THE BIG
DISCOUNTERS LIKE WALMART AND ALSO PARTICULARLY WITH AMAZON'S WHEN THE FTC PUSHBACK ON KROGER'S PLEDGED TO LOWER PRICES BY 1 BILLION DOLLARS.
MCMULLIN WAS READY WITH AN ANSWER. WELL, IT'S NOT LEGALLY BINDING. HE IN HIS VIEW, IT'S SORT OF LIKE REPUTATIONAL A BINDING LIKE.
>> IF WE SAY THAT SOMETHING GAR OUT AROUND AND DO THE OPPOSITE RIGHT AFTER THE MERGER.
>> GOES THROUGH NOW IS GOING GIVE US ANY MORE MCMULLEN.
ALSO PUSHED BACK ON FTC ALLEGATIONS THAT THE MERGER WILL REDUCE UNION BARGAINING POWER WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING AT DIVESTITURE OPTIONS. AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
THINGS TO HIM WAS THAT WHOEVER BUYS THE COUNT STORE AGREES TO HONOR UNION CONTRACTS. NILAND SAID MCMULLEN NEVER GOT FLUSTERED DURING CROSS-EXAMINATION, BUT SHE
COULDN'T TELL WHETHER HIS TESTIMONY SCORED ANY POINTS WITH JUDGE ADRIAN NELSON.
>> THE JUDGE SEXUALLY INSTRUCTED THE WITNESSES THAT SHE DOES NOT WANT THEM LOOKING AT HER. THAT'S THEIR JOB IS TO TESTIFY BEFORE THE COURT. SHE IS VERY HARD TO GET A READ ON.
SHE DOESN'T ASK FOR ANY MONEY QUESTIONS. JUDGE NELSON HASN'T SAID HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE OR TO DECIDE WHETHER TO GRANT AN INJUNCTION IN THIS CASE.
KROGER ATTORNEYS HAVE SAID >> AND INJUNCTION WOULD EFFECTIVELY KI