Republicans on House Oversight Committee Request Testimony from FTC Staff

Republicans on the House Oversight Committee this week sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Lina Khan to demand transcripts of interviews with senior FTC staffers as part of their ongoing probe into Khan.

The panel is investigating allegations that Khan has abused her power, violated due process, and ignored federal ethics law while leading the FTC by overstepping her authority when it comes to antitrust cases.

“The commission has produced documents on a rolling basis in response to some of these requests, but it has refused to provide documents in response to others and the documents the FTC has provided do not fully address the committee’s concerns,” House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., wrote in a letter to Khan. “As such, we are requesting that you make staff available for transcribed interviews.

“Under your leadership, the FTC has removed procedural and other constraints on the FTC’s power to make new rules, initiate investigations, and take enforcement actions against American businesses. The committee is also concerned about the policies and guidance that the FTC has used, which appears intended to undermine the decades-old consumer welfare standard.”

According to Comer, the panel is “concerned” that Khan’s antitrust policies are “undermining consumers’ and others’ confidence in the commission’s ability to ensure the integrity of the American marketplace.”

He concludes with a request for testimony from five senior FTC staffers, including Executive Director David Robbins, and the directors of the Bureaus of Economics, Competition, and Consumer Protection.