More of the Same Swamp, Just Deeper

Al Ritter

On January 18, 2021 40 National, State and Local groups sent an ominous warning to then President elect Joe Biden about the rising power Big Tech was amassing.

“As you prepare to take office, we urge you to avoid appointing to key antitrust enforcement positions individuals who have served as lawyers, lobbyists, or consultants for Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google,” the groups wrote through the American Economic Liberties Project. “Instead, we encourage you to appoint experienced litigators or public servants who have recognized the dangers of, rather than helped to exacerbate, these corporations’ market power.”

That warning was not only ignored by the Biden Administration, but actually used as a roadmap to do the exact opposite. It’s been reported that Renata Hesse who worked for Google during the Trump Administration is a top contender to head up the anti-trust division of the DOJ. Hesse played a major role in the Amazon/Whole Foods merger, and has also represented large Pharmaceutical Companies in the past.

Another questionable player is Juan Arteaga, a former Obama Administration DOJ official, who may be tapped to be assistant Attorney General for anti-trust division of the DOJ. He represented AT&T in its merger with Time Warner. He also defended JPMorgan and several other financial firms in fraud cases.

Both of the above mentioned individuals have represented clients against government prosecutors. I see it as highly unlikely that they will be effective at switching roles after past histories of lobbying so hard to have their clients continue in the roles major trust violators.

I suppose this is the pay back to Big Tech for their collective support of the liberal cause in the election. I don’t see much help from the DOJ to rein in their influence in the next 4 years.

Read the article here   https://thefederalist.com/2021/01/19/biden-plans-to-put-big-tech-in-charge-of-its-own-regulation/?fbclid=IwAR1h6SQCDss9px2M4e5HylM71W0mdVLNmIpUwy9Y0k32OiP433DzD_ndMc4

And the letter from 40 groups here https://www.economicliberties.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Final_AntitrustAppointmentsLetter_1.18.docx.pdf