Now we tend to ignore these types of stories, as they're usually 90% speculation and the result of a long stream of hearsay, but as this comes from the Wall Street Journal we'll let it through. Confirming internet rumors from the past few months, the paper is reporting (in an article titled "Politically Charged Music Pays -- At Least Until Election Day") that Fat Wreck Chords' outspoken Anti-Flag are the subject of a bidding war between several major labels. Specifically:

But now, Anti-Flag has become the unlikely subject of a furious bidding war, with offers in excess of $500,000 for a single album, says its lawyer, Anita Rivas. Since May, executives from Time Warner Inc.'s Sire Records, Sony Corp. and Bertelsmann AG's Columbia Records and RCA Records and Vivendi Universal SA's Geffen Records have been courting the band, in one case flying to Europe to meet the band on tour. Today the band is scheduled to meet with top brass at RCA and Columbia in New York.

We'll keep you up to date on this story if and when something concrete is announced.