Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) had a significant opportunity to expose Lina Khan, the Democratic chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), for her alleged partisan bias towards Twitter and Elon Musk. Jordan, as the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, called Khan for a hearing to address her “mismanagement,” “disregard for ethics,” and “politicized rulemakings.” However, during the hearing, it became apparent that Jordan and his fellow Republicans were the ones engaging in harassment and obsession, particularly with Elon Musk. Some even accused Jordan of settling political scores at the expense of taxpayers.
Lina Khan, known for advocating greater antitrust scrutiny of tech giants like Amazon, received bipartisan support when she became an FTC commissioner in June 2021. Nevertheless, she has faced extensive criticism from the right, who view her as a symbol of the Biden administration’s regulatory overreach. Additionally, her agency’s attempts to block high-profile mergers, such as Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision, have faced challenges in court.
Jordan’s intention in calling Khan before the committee was not to discuss antitrust policy but to focus on her alleged leadership shortcomings, ethical lapses, and her agency’s interactions with Elon Musk, who has gained popularity among conservatives since acquiring Twitter. Musk has rolled back the platform’s efforts to moderate hate speech and falsehoods, supported Ron DeSantis’ presidential bid, and allowed bloggers to review internal Twitter documents for evidence of conservative bias.
During the hearing, Jordan continuously interrupted Khan and redirected the conversation back to Musk. He even questioned her about accusations of FTC bias against Twitter based on a court document filed by Musk’s Twitter just hours before the hearing, even though Khan hadn’t had a chance to review it yet.
Republicans also raised concerns about Khan’s ethical conduct. They questioned why she did not recuse herself from a case involving Facebook’s parent company, Meta, despite a suggestion from an FTC ethics official. However, it later emerged that the ethics official herself owned Meta stock. They also criticized Khan for using the title of “counsel” on a House committee before being admitted to the New York bar and for allowing her bar membership to lapse while serving as FTC chair.
Democrats dismissed the Republicans’ accusations and stood by Khan. They praised her agency’s efforts to address consumer protection issues and asked how legislators could support her work. They also cautioned Republicans about the appropriate use of power within the committee and the House of Representatives.
In summary, Jordan’s hearing with Lina Khan aimed to discredit her through accusations of bias, ethical lapses, and harassment towards Elon Musk and Twitter. However, it appeared that Jordan and his fellow Republicans were the ones engaging in harassment and obsession. Democrats expressed support for Khan and highlighted the importance of responsible use of power within the committee.
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