Amazon Makes No Promises On Jeff Bezos Testimony

Amazon responded to lawmakers on Friday, May 15, who demanded that its chief executive, Jeff Bezos, testify as part of a congressional antitrust investigation.

The company told lawmakers in a letter that it would be happy to send someone. It never, however, mentioned Bezos in the three-page letter, which was obtained by The New York Times.

Instead, the company stated that it was “prepared to make the appropriate Amazon executive available to the Committee to address these important issues.”

By not promising an appearance by Bezos, Amazon’s response may escalate tensions with the Democratic leaders of the House Judiciary Committee who, along with some Republicans, requested Bezos’ testimony in a letter sent to the company on May 1. They have threatened to legally compel Bezos to appear before the panel if he does not agree to do so willingly.

“We appreciate the response,” Rep. David Cicilline (Democrat – Rhode Island) chairman of the panel’s antitrust subcommittee, said in a statement. “As we said in our letter, we expect Mr. Bezos to testify when called and to fully cooperate with this investigation.”

Should Bezos appear before the committee, he would probably face questions about accusations that the company abuses its market power, as well as issues like its treatment of warehouse workers and its impact on small businesses. Unlike most other top technology executives, Bezos has not testified before Congress.

Full Content: New York Times

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