By: David Dayen (The American Prospect)
Tomorrow, Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan will present her testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, which has undergone significant changes since her previous tenure as a staff member from 2019 to 2020. During that period, Khan spearheaded an investigation into digital platforms on behalf of the Antitrust Subcommittee chaired by Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI). The investigation culminated in a highly influential report that reinforced the case against the dominant market power held by Big Tech. Although the report was endorsed solely by Democrats, Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO), the Republican co-chair of the subcommittee, concurred with almost all of its conclusions.
Presently, Rep. Cicilline has resigned, and the Antitrust Subcommittee is now under the leadership of Thomas Massie from Kentucky, who adheres to libertarian principles and exhibits minimal interest in matters related to antitrust. This lack of attention is evident in the subcommittee’s limited activities, having held only two hearings throughout the entire year. Simultaneously, Lina Khan is scheduled to appear before the entire committee, confronting accusations of “FTC mismanagement and disregard for ethics and congressional oversight,” as disclosed in a preview of the upcoming hearing. Additionally, she will address concerns regarding “the Commission’s enforcement actions and the perceived politicization of its rulemaking processes.”…
