Biden sets stage for possible tech crackdown with DOJ antitrust nomination
The president nominates Jonathan Kanter, a lawyer known for taking action against Google, as antitrust chief for the Department of Justice.
The White House on Tuesday said President Joe Biden intends to nominate Jonathan Kanter to the position of the Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice. The announcement praised Kanter as "a leading advocate and expert in the effort to promote strong and meaningful antitrust enforcement and competition policy."
Kanter is a "longtime foe of Alphabet Inc.'s Google," reported Bloomberg, noting that he's represented companies that have pushed antitrust regulators to sue the search giant. Microsoft engaged Kanter to push officials to take action against Google during the Obama administration, according to Bloomberg. He also reportedly represented Yelp, which urged the Justice Department to sue Google last year.
Biden's action is especially significant given the multiple antitrust cases against Google. Last year, the Department of Justice filed a suit alleging Google illegally eliminated competition by reaching an agreement to be the default search provider for major phone manufacturers like Apple and Samsung.
Google declined to comment.