For decades, the Federal Trade Commission has been the gold standard for bipartisan, research-driven consumer welfare protection. Until recently, it stood above short-sighted politicization. But today’s House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing with Chair Khan proves that’s no more—the Federal Trade Commission is undergoing a reputational degradation. Members of Congress questioned commissioners on reports of sidelined staff, last minute procedural and policy changes, and restrictions on the rights of fellow commissioners.
For this reason, today, NetChoice criticized the failure of Chair Khan and her Democratic commissioners to address major concerns about FTC overreach during the House Energy and Commerce hearing.
“As seen consistently in Chair Khan’s short tenure, the new FTC talks about transparency and bipartisanship but is taking actions to undermine both. During her first hearing, Chair Khan sidestepped concerns from Republican lawmakers during the hearing and tried to convince members to support radical proposals to grant her more power to control the American economy,” said Carl Szabo, Vice President and General Counsel at NetChoice.
“Combining the current actions at the FTC with new bills that seek to provide Chair Khan with even more power will only spell disaster for the agency’s goal to protect consumers,” continued Szabo. “Lawmakers should acknowledge that the Federal Trade Commission is concentrating power in a vice-like grip. Without the proper guardrails to provide checks and balances, the Federal Trade Commission will no longer protect consumers and instead protect corporations, all the while pursuing political goals to reshape the American economy in a progressive worldview.”