WASHINGTON—Today, NetChoice requested the Federal Trade Commission disclose any communications or documents between Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), her former chief of staff and current consultant at Ridge Point Consulting, Dan Geldon, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), and any member of these members’ staff and the FTC.
This action followed reports of ex parte communications between Geldon and FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya, in addition to concerns over more potentially inappropriate communications by and to FTC commissioners.
In a letter sent to FTC General Counsel Anisha Dasgupta, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), NetChoice requested the FTC publicly release:
- Any communications, or documents describing communications, between the dates of January 20, 2021 to the current date between Dan Geldon and any of the following individuals: FTC Chair Lina Khan, Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya or any FTC staff members.
- Any communications, emails, or documents including the words “antitrust,” “mergers,” “acquisitions,” “businesses,” “Amazon,” “Meta,” “Facebook,” “Instagram,” “Twitter,” “Musk,” “Apple,” “iPhone,” “Google,” “Alphabet,” “Youtube,” “Microsoft,” “Xbox,” “Activision,” “Illumina,” or any plural or derivation thereof, between the dates of January 20, 2021 to the current date between Sen. Warren or any member of her staff and any person working for or with the FTC.
- Any communications, emails, or documents including the words “antitrust,” “mergers,” “acquisitions,” “businesses,” “Amazon,” “Meta,” “Facebook,” “Instagram,” “Twitter,” “Musk,” “Apple,” “iPhone,” “Google,” “Alphabet,” “Youtube,” “Microsoft,” “Xbox,” “Activision,” “Illumina,” or any plural or derivation thereof, between the dates of January 20, 2021 to the current date between Sen. Klobuchar or any member of her staff and any person working for or with the FTC.
- Any communications, emails, or documents including the words “antitrust,” “mergers,” “acquisitions,” “businesses,” “Amazon,” “Meta,” “Facebook,” “Instagram,” “Twitter,” “Musk,” “Apple,” “iPhone,” “Google,” “Alphabet,” “Youtube,” “Microsoft,” “Xbox,” “Activision,” “Illumina,” or any plural or derivation thereof, between the dates of January 20, 2021 to the current date between Sen. Sanders or any member of his staff and any person working for or with the FTC.
- If the FTC General Counsel determines that any part of this request is exempt from FOIA, NetChoice requests the information be clearly identified and justified.
“Americans need transparency and accountability from the FTC on whether the agency is working for consumers or special interest groups, and our FOIA request seeks to shine a light on the Commission’s questionable actions,” said NetChoice Vice President & General Counsel Carl Szabo. “In the past month, documents revealed that FTC Chair Khan ignored the advice of her ethics officer and reports emerged that progressive advocates and political consultants supported FTC Commissioner Bedoya on the condition that Bedoya take specific actions upon appointment.”
Szabo continued: “It is the responsibility of every government employee to ensure transparency because public service requires public trust. The FTC must respond promptly to our request so the public can learn if commissioners are making decisions about American businesses on behalf of consumers or special interests.”
Federal law requires the FTC to produce such records or to provide the appropriate justification for denial by reference to specific exemptions under the FOIA.
Read NetChoice’s official FOIA request here and below.
Please contact press@netchoice.org with inquiries.