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US Antitrust Chief Jonathan Kanter to Step Down After Pivotal Three-Year Tenure

By  |  December 17, 2024

Jonathan Kanter, the head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s antitrust division, announced on Tuesday that he will step down this Friday, concluding a three-year tenure marked by a vigorous push to reshape competition law in the United States. Kanter, who has been a key figure in the Biden administration’s efforts to tackle corporate power, leaves behind a legacy of ambitious antitrust enforcement.

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    Kanter, alongside Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan, worked to revive and strengthen antitrust regulations that seek to curb the growing dominance of major corporations. Their efforts, particularly aimed at limiting monopolistic practices, have earned praise from many progressive Democrats, as well as some Republicans, who argue that unchecked corporate influence threatens fair competition and individual rights.

    In a farewell speech on Tuesday, Kanter voiced his concerns about the consequences of concentrated corporate power. “Plutocracy is its own kind of dictatorship,” he said, emphasizing the dangers posed when companies surpass the power of governments. Kanter warned that the threat of “coercive private taxation and regulation” by these massive corporations endangers individual liberty and the American way of life.

    However, Kanter’s and Khan’s approach has faced criticism from some business groups and legal professionals. These critics have advocated for a return to a more restrained antitrust framework, similar to the one that prevailed in the U.S. for decades. Despite this opposition, it is widely believed that President-elect Donald Trump’s antitrust appointees are unlikely to significantly scale back enforcement efforts in the immediate future.

    Gail Slater, an aide to incoming Vice President JD Vance, is expected to succeed Kanter, pending confirmation. Vance, before being tapped as Trump’s running mate, praised Khan’s leadership and echoed concerns about corporate overreach, calling some corporate behavior “tyrannical.”

    Until Vance assumes office, Kanter’s deputy, Doha Mekki, will serve as the acting head of the antitrust division. Following Trump’s inauguration, it remains to be seen whether a new appointment will shift the direction of the division.

    During his tenure, Kanter revitalized the DOJ’s antitrust agenda, bringing several high-profile cases against major companies such as Apple, Google, Visa, and Ticketmaster. His office also secured a major legal win against Google in a case over its dominance in online search. Kanter’s division also successfully blocked notable corporate mergers, including JetBlue’s proposed tie-up with American Airlines, Spirit Airlines’ merger with JetBlue, and the $2.2 billion merger between Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster.

    Source: Reuters