With the confirmation of Joe Biden’s Cabinet nominees already complete, the president is now focused on his nominations in other government agencies including deputies of his core Cabinet members. The Biden administration recently signaled a more aggressive approach to the issue of antitrust, as Biden nominates Lina Khan to serve in the Federal Trade Commission.
Biden tapped Khan to be his nominee to lead the Federal Trade Commission, the White House announced on Monday. Should she be confirmed, Khan will have the power to vote on cases surrounding antitrust and consumer protection at the agency.
This would also include a decision on whether to bring an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon that is reportedly being investigated. The decision to also block large companies’ acquisitions is also included in Khan’s possible role.
Khan’s nomination was praised by progressives, due to her scholarship on the subject of antitrust with a particular focus on tech companies. Her note “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox” from her days as a student at Yale University back in 2017 went viral, the note questioning the consumer welfare-focused approach when it comes to antitrust enforcement. Khan recently taught the subject at Columbia University as well.
Should Khan be confirmed, she will be joining Democrat and Acting FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Republican FTC Commissioners Noah Phillips and Christine Wilson. This would also leave Biden with only one more commissioner seat to fill, following his nomination of Democrat Commissioner Rahit Chopra to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
In other related news, Biden has delivered on his promise to have a very diverse Cabinet for his presidency. However, two Democratic Senators have expressed concerns regarding the lack of representation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the core cabinet positions.
Senators Tammy Duckworth and Mazie Hirono have voiced their concerns to the Biden administration, with Duckworth having spoken to Biden advisors and leaving the conversation unimpressed. This then prompted Hirono to echo Duckworth’s concerns.
Speaking to the press, Duckworth said that until the situation was resolved, she would vote no on incoming nominees. “I’ve been talking to them for months and they’re still not aggressive, so I’m not going to be voting for any nominee from the White House other than diversity nominees,” said Duckworth. “I’ll be a no on everyone until they figure this out.”