Antitrust Agitator Khan Refutes Critics, Plans to Stay at FTC

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(Bloomberg) — Lena Khan isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

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An agency official said Khan, who has become somewhat of a pariah from major corporations for her antitrust enforcement, plans to stay on as chair of the US Federal Trade Commission for at least another year.

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She vows to stay despite being criticized by House Republicans for waging a “left campaign” against big business, with two GOP commissioners blaming her for their resignations and for being the subject of prolific rumors about her imminent departure.

“Chairman Khan is 100% committed to the FTC and proud of his leadership of its talented staff who have worked tirelessly to prevent illegal mergers, ramp up data and privacy protections, propose rules to ban incomplete items and eliminate unnecessary spam charges for consumers,” the spokesperson said. On behalf of FTC Douglas Farrar.

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Khan, 34, became the head of the Antitrust and Consumer Protection Agency in June 2021 after a two-year sabbatical from her job as a professor at Columbia Law School. During her tenure, Khan pushed the agency to vigorously pursue antitrust lawsuits and sued Microsoft Corp. over its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc. and unsuccessfully attempted to block Meta Platforms Inc. From buying a startup in virtual reality.

The Federal Trade Commission under Khan’s leadership has also made controversial decisions to ban incomplete deals and rein in so-called “commercial surveillance” by online companies.

The end of her vacation and the paternity leave she took in January after the birth of her first child has led to speculation that Khan will leave the FTC this summer to return to New York or move to the White House to replace her former Columbia classmate. Tim Wu.

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The FTC said Khan has no intention of leaving her position in the near future.

The Federal Trade Commission confirmed that Khan is negotiating with Columbia to extend her leave of absence, citing her comments before a House committee this month.

“My term runs through 2024 and I intend to continue to serve,” Khan told the House Energy and Commerce Committee on April 18.

Khan’s efforts initially focused on battles with the largest US technology companies. But its most recent proposal targeting incomplete agreements in January drew opposition from across the corporate landscape. Some companies argue these contracts help them retain talent and protect sensitive information, but the FTC says they are an unfair burden on the economy, and banning them would increase wages by $300 billion annually.

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The proposed rules on non-competes, along with potential privacy regulations, led to an attack by Republican lawmakers earlier this month as Khan and her colleagues — Democrats Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya — appeared before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on funding increases.

“Maybe instead of unsuccessfully carrying out President Biden’s left-wing campaign, you could instead prioritize the resources we give you to help vulnerable Americans,” said Republican Gus Bilirakis of Florida, who chairs the committee’s Innovation, Data and Commerce subcommittee.