House Oversight Committee seeks clarification from FTC on ties to EU antitrust regulations.

EXCLUSIVE: House Oversight ‌Committee Questions FTC’s Relationship with European Antitrust Regulators

The House Oversight Committee, led by⁤ Chairman James Comer (R-KY),⁣ has directed its attention towards the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ‌and is raising concerns about its interactions ⁢with​ European antitrust regulators.

In a ⁤letter sent to FTC Chairwoman Lina Khan and ​Commissioners Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya, Comer⁣ inquired‍ about the agency’s recent engagements with ⁤Europe. While the FTC has a history of cooperation with the European ​Union, a⁤ Freedom ‍of Information Act request uncovered that the agency consulted ⁤with European regulators regarding the ‌merger of medical tech companies Illumina and Grail. Comer alleges that these interactions were mismanaged⁤ and potentially ​harmful to U.S. economic interests.

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These exchanges have raised concerns within the Oversight Committee, prompting them to question whether the FTC is pursuing its ideological goals in secret, according to a copy of​ the letter exclusively obtained by the Washington Examiner. ⁢Comer’s remarks allude to Chairwoman Khan’s more aggressive ‍approach to antitrust enforcement.

Comer has requested that the FTC provide all communications with European governmental entities regarding the Digital Markets Act, the EU’s stricter regulations aimed at ensuring fair competition in the European marketplace.

In June, Comer initiated an investigation into the FTC and Chairwoman Khan following the resignation of​ Republican FTC Commissioner Christine Wilson. With only three remaining Democratic commissioners, the agency’s control shifted, ⁤leading to concerns raised by‌ Comer. Noah Phillips, the other Republican commissioner, had previously stepped down to prioritize his family.

Chairwoman Khan has also faced ⁤scrutiny from the House Judiciary Committee and its Chairman, Jim Jordan (R-OH), regarding her approach to antitrust. This includes her unsuccessful‍ attempts to block Meta’s acquisition of virtual reality developer Within and Microsoft’s purchase of game developer Activision Blizzard.

Click here ‌to read more from the Washington ⁤Examiner.

Khan gained recognition when she published “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox” in 2017, an⁤ academic ‍article advocating for ⁢antitrust reforms to curb the power of Big Tech companies. One of her key ‍arguments was that the existing antitrust system was ​ill-equipped to address the increasing market dominance of entities like Amazon, emphasizing‌ the need to grant​ the FTC more control.

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