Elizabeth Warren Says Federal Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google Doesn't Go Far Enough
Elizabeth Warren just became the first high-profile Democrat to officially step forward and accuse the DoJ of not doing enough to target Google in its latest lawsuit.
In a tweet, Warren claimed that "two things can be true" - that Bill Barr can be a "corrupt" Trump crony, and that there is a "legit" antitrust case against Google. In fact, the case could have "gone further", Warren said.
Two things can both be true: Bill Barr is a corrupt Trump crony who shouldn't be AG, and @TheJusticeDept has the power to pursue a legit antitrust suit against Google. The case is clear – in fact, it could have gone further. It must move forward without political interference. https://t.co/7S4trkbDOG
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) October 20, 2020
Google Antitrust Suit Lacks 'Practical Impact,' Boltansky Says
Meanwhile, an unnamed Google (GOOGL) exec told Bloomberg that the company will "potentially file pretrial motions" challenging theories in the DoJ lawsuits.
AG William Barr released a statement about the Google suit, saying "millions of Americans rely on the Internet and online platforms..." and that "competition in this industry is vitally important."
“Today, millions of Americans rely on the Internet and online platforms...Competition in this industry is vitally important, which is why today’s challenge against Google...for violating antitrust laws is a monumental case both for the DOJ and for the American people.” — AG Barr pic.twitter.com/CG8UKXDtZo
— Justice Department (@TheJusticeDept) October 20, 2020
Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen led a brief phone briefing with reporters on Tuesday where he essentially confirmed all of the reporting from a scoop in the WSJ.
Rosen added that the lawsuit accused Google of violating Section 2 of the Sherman Act, the same statute that was used during Bill Clinton's presidency to carry out a host of antitrust litigation, including the landmark case against Microsoft (MSFT).
"For years there had been concerns about business practices leading to unprecedented concentration in our economy," Rosen began, adding that the anti-trust division has been looking at Google and its anti-trust practices for more than a year now. Rosen called Google a "gatekeeper of the Internet" and "one of the wealthiest companies on the planet", saying it has maintained its monopoly standing via "anticompetitive practices" that are necessary to "enable competition".
If the DoJ doesn't act, Rosen said, Americans could risk missing out on the next wave of companies. If that happens, Americans may never get to see "the next Google."
"We plan to continue our review of market-leading Internet tech platforms," he said.
Rosen added that AG Barr made the case "a priority" within the department. Rosen thanked the DoJ antitrust division and the DoJ's partners in each state capitol for all their hard work on the case.
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