Vice President Kamala Harris has come under scrutiny for a potential conflict of interest involving the Department of Justice’s ongoing lawsuit against Google. The situation arose after House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) requested a formal briefing from Attorney General Merrick Garland. The request stems from allegations that a key attorney defending Google in the lawsuit is also prepping Harris for her upcoming debate against former President Donald Trump.
Fox News obtained the letter from Jordan to Garland, which highlighted concerns about the overlap between the Justice Department’s antitrust case and the political role being played by Karen Dunn, Google’s lead attorney. Dunn, who has been instrumental in Google’s defense, is also reportedly helping Harris prepare for a high-stakes political showdown. The controversy adds to growing Republican concerns about Big Tech’s influence and potential collusion with the Biden-Harris Administration.
Jordan’s letter pointed out the possibility that Dunn’s dual role could introduce political bias into the lawsuit, particularly as the Justice Department has taken an aggressive stance against Google’s alleged anticompetitive practices. Jordan, along with the House Judiciary Committee and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, raised the alarm over how the situation could undermine the integrity of the DOJ’s case. His letter said that the overlap between Dunn’s roles as both a legal advisor to Google and a political advisor to Harris could blur ethical lines.
“On the day that President Biden announced his intent to nominate you as Attorney General, you pledged to ‘guarantee the independence of the Department from partisan influence,’” Jordan wrote in his letter. “This assertion is hard to square with reporting that Ms. Dunn is leading debate preparations for Vice President Harris while she also leads Google’s defense against a Biden-Harris Administration lawsuit.”
Jordan’s letter gave concerns that the Biden-Harris Administration has already used its influence to pressure tech companies, including Google, to censor speech. He referenced reports alleging that the administration has worked with Big Tech to suppress conservative viewpoints, citing this as a troubling trend that this latest development could exacerbate.
The Department of Justice’s lawsuit against Google, which began last year, accuses the tech giant of abusing its market power in online search and advertising to stifle competition. The case is one of several high-profile antitrust lawsuits facing Big Tech companies, as Republicans seek to curb their influence. However, the potential conflict of interest involving Dunn could cast a shadow over the DOJ’s credibility in prosecuting the case.
Jordan called for a briefing from Garland on how the DOJ plans to handle this apparent conflict of interest. He requested that the department provide details by September 24 on how it is working to “combat potential conflicts of interest and political bias” in its lawsuit against Google. “Given this potential conflict of interest, we request a briefing on how the Department of Justice is working to combat this and other potential conflicts of interest and political bias in United States v. Google LLC,” Jordan stated.
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This investigation is yet another hurdle for Vice President Harris as she navigates an already tumultuous political landscape ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
