FTC Chair Faces Criticism in Congressional Hearing

Lina Khan, the chair of the Federal Trade Commission, faced more than three hours of criticism and ridicule from Republicans in a House hearing, as emboldened critics increasingly put pressure on the agency for its crackdown on the growing power of tech giants. During the highly partisan hearing, Republicans accused Chair Khan, who has carried out an aggressive agenda of lawsuits and investigations against tech companies, of “harassing” businesses. The lawmakers, who repeatedly cut off Chair Khan midsentence, also ridiculed her for the FTC’s recent losses in antitrust cases and for wasting government resources. But Chair Khan appeared unruffled. She highlighted the F.T.C.’s challenges to mergers in pharmaceutical, semiconductor, defense and energy markets. Many of those challenges did not go to court. She said she didn’t bring cases that she thought would lose but, without referring to the Microsoft case, acknowledged the risks of her strategy. House Judiciary Committee Jim Jordan (R-OH) accused the agency of “harassing” Twitter in its investigation of the company’s security practices. Chairman Jordan, who has accused Democrats of censoring Republican views, has praised Twitter’s owner, Elon Musk, for loosening restrictions on speech.