US: DOJ slams Apple’s ‘character assassination’ against monitor

The US Department of Justice has entered the debate over Apple’s court-appointed monitor, slamming the tech giant for choosing to focus its energy to fight the watchdog rather than work on complying with antitrust law, say reports.

The DOJ criticized Apple’s legal complaints against lawyer Michael Bromwich as “a campaign of character assassination.” Bromwich was established as an external monitor to watch Apple and ensure the company complies with antitrust law following a court ruling that found the company guilty of conspiring to fix eBooks prices.

In a letter filed last Friday, the DOJ claimed Apple has focused on “thwarting [Bromwich” from performing even the most basic of his court-ordered functions.”

The DOJ sued Apple over allegations of eBook price fixing, resulting in the monitor’s establishment last year by US District Judge Denise Cote.

”Apple simply does not want any monitor whatsoever,” the regulator wrote to Judge Cote, “and manufacturing these baseless objections is the only way it apparently believes it can achieve that result.”

Apple filed a complaint with the court against Bromwich, arguing he has overstepped his boundaries and hampered Apple’s ability to continue running its businesses.

Full Content: The Hill

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