Lina Khan, the chair of the Federal Commerce Fee, confronted greater than three hours of criticism and mock from Republicans in a Home listening to on Thursday, as emboldened critics more and more put strain on the company for its crackdown on the rising energy of tech giants.
Throughout the extremely partisan listening to, Republicans accused Ms. Khan, 34, who has carried out an aggressive agenda of lawsuits and investigations in opposition to tech firms, of “harassing” companies. The lawmakers, who repeatedly lower off Ms. Khan midsentence, additionally ridiculed her for the F.T.C.’s latest losses in antitrust circumstances and for losing authorities sources.
“You at the moment are 0 for 4 in merger trials,” Consultant Kevin Kiley, Republican of California, mentioned on the Home Judiciary Committee listening to. “Why are you shedding a lot?”
The blistering session capped a bruising week that has introduced higher scrutiny to the F.T.C. It was Ms. Khan’s first public look since a decide dominated on Tuesday in opposition to the company’s try to cease Microsoft’s $70 billion acquisition of Activision. It was a significant defeat in a tech case for the F.T.C. after one other decide determined in Might in opposition to its try to dam Meta’s acquisition of a digital actuality app maker, Inside.
Ms. Khan has turn into a lightning rod for her efforts to rein in company energy and to present the F.T.C. extra tooth in enforcement. Since President Biden picked her to guide the company two years in the past, she has mentioned the F.T.C. was too complacent and wanted to pursue extra lawsuits in opposition to firms, even when it didn’t at all times win. Even in court docket losses, she has mentioned, the circumstances expose the necessity to replace antitrust legal guidelines for the digital age.
In Thursday’s listening to, Ms. Khan, a authorized scholar, mentioned she didn’t deliver circumstances that she thought would lose. However with out referring to the Microsoft case, she acknowledged the dangers of her technique.
“We combat onerous after we consider there was a regulation violation, and sadly issues don’t at all times go our means,” Ms. Khan mentioned.
The losses haven’t weakened her concentrate on the tech trade. On Thursday, the F.T.C. filed to enchantment the court docket choice on Microsoft’s take care of Activision. Additionally this week, it opened an investigation into the unreal intelligence start-up, OpenAI, which makes the ChatGPT chatbot, for probably harming shoppers with privateness and safety lapses and for spreading false details about people.
The White Home reiterated its help for Ms. Khan on Thursday. “Chair Khan has delivered outcomes for households, shoppers, employees, small companies and entrepreneurs,” Michael Kikukawa, a White Home assistant press secretary, mentioned in a press release.
It is a growing story. Examine again for updates.
