FTC Nominee Khan’s Antitrust Views Will Have Negative Consequences for Consumers if Made Official Policy

Competitive Enterprise Institute experts reacted to today’s announcement the White House intends to nominate Lina Khan to be a Commissioner at the Federal Trade Commission, criticizing her views on more expansive antitrust enforcement.

Director of CEI’s Center for Technology and Innovation Jessica Melugin said:

“While diversity of opinion is important, much more important are consistent and clear rules of the road. Ms. Kahn’s enthusiasm for altering and greatly expanding the role of antitrust regulation will make for an uncertain business environment where consumer’s best interests will be second place to acting out of an abundance of caution to not violate ever-changing antitrust law. Consumers need progress and improvements, not a tech industry afraid to innovate.”

CEI Vice President for Strategy Iain Murray said:

“Nominating such an outspoken critic of the judicial evolution of antitrust law to play the important role of Commissioner potentially sets up conflicts between the Commission and the Courts that will not redound to the Commission’s advantage. This will likely place the companies the FTC regulates in the role of guinea pigs for Ms. Khan’s interpretation of the law. The uncertainty such expansive views of enforcement will provoke is liable to be bad for American consumers.”

Read more: cei.org/antitrust