The federal government is pushing to force Apple to allow an antitrust monitor to interview top officials like chief executive Tim Cook and board member Al Gore.
According to Bloomberg, the Justice Department wants the monitor to be able to conduct the interviews as part of an investigation into book price fixing.
{mosads}Apple has opposed the effort. It charges that the federal government is overstepping its bounds by pushing for speedy interviews with top management.
In a federal court filing on Monday, the government asserted that the interviews are “standard procedure in monitorships,” according to Bloomberg.
The monitor stems from an antitrust case filed against Apple for its pricing of electronic books.
Justice Department inspector general Michael Bromwich was appointed to monitor the company two months ago. Since that time, he has been allowed to interview only 11 people, he has said, including just one board member and one executive.