“By any metric, there is no good argument to have Jonathan Kanter do this,” Carl Szabo, general counsel at NetChoice, a technology trade organization that includes Apple and Google, told the DCNF.
Szabo argued that Kanter should have to recuse himself in accordance with federal law, citing federal regulations governing appointments which state that nominees may be forced to recuse themselves if they “create an appearance of a conflict of interest likely to affect the public perception of the integrity of the investigation or prosecution.”
“Even if Mr. Kanter is able to expunge his thoughts and feelings and prior work, his sheer presence creates the impression of bias, which violates federal statutes, and more importantly, public trust,” Szabo said.