Gaetz was a known critic of Big Tech throughout his tenure in Congress, teaming up with Democrats and lauding Biden administration’s attempts to rein in the power of the industry.
There are still serious doubts about his ability to be confirmed as attorney general, though experts told The Hill his leadership of the Justice Department would feature heavy scrutiny on the tech giants.
“If I were Big Tech, I would be very concerned about his track record on antitrust enforcement and his general view against Big Tech and big business,” said Kellie Lerner, managing partner at antitrust law firm Shinder Cantor Lerner.
Trump’s selection of Gaetz was met with surprise on Capitol Hill last week.
Gaetz was previously investigated by the Justice Department as part of a sex trafficking probe and was facing a House Ethics Committee investigation over alleged sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.
The Florida Republican resigned just hours after receiving the attorney general nod, halting the committee’s investigation in its tracks.
Gaetz’s nomination has also sparked concerns about Trump’s plans for the Justice Department, which is viewed as a prime vehicle for the president-elect to enact his promised retribution on his enemies.
While Gaetz may represent a sharp departure from the typical attorney general, his views on Big Tech power see him surprisingly aligned with progressives and President Biden’s administration.
As head of the Justice Department, Gaetz would oversee half of the Trump administration’s antitrust enforcement, which is split between the agency’s antitrust division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
FTC Chair Lina Khan and Jonathan Kanter, assistant attorney general for antitrust, have led the Biden administration’s aggressive antitrust push against companies such as Amazon, Apple and Alphabet, the parent company of Google.
Gaetz emerged as part of the so-called “Khanservatives” circle, referring to Republicans who have voiced approval for Khan and Kanter.
His support for efforts to rein in corporate power extends beyond antitrust and Big Tech. In June, Gaetz filed an amicus brief in support of the FTC’s ban on noncompete agreements, a move that was opposed by many in his own party.
He has also previously broken with his fellow Republicans on corporate issues, such as forced arbitration and stock buybacks.
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.
