Gail Slater to Lead Antitrust Cases Against Google and Ot...

Gail Slater is set to lead the US Department of Justice antitrust division following a successful Congressional confirmation vote. With bipartisan support, Slater will step in as Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division. Slater isn't new to the Trump administration, having worked for the National Economic Council during his first term. She also served as an economic policy advisor and Senate staff member for Vice President JD Vance before the election. Slater's extensive experience in antitrust law includes a stint at the Federal Trade Commission, where she worked on merger cases from 2004, and lobbying for anti-monopoly legislation during her time at Roku.

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Slater's Role in US v. Google

Slater steps into her role in the midst of US v. Google, an antitrust case that declared Google an unlawful monopolist last year. A hearing scheduled next month will decide what remedies to enforce against it, potentially including a breakup of the company. Slater will be replacing Jonathan Kanter, under whom the DOJ won its case against Google.

Future Antitrust Battles

The new antitrust watchdog has yet to firmly articulate when and where the DOJ will fight its new battles. When asked about her commitment to see through antitrust enforcement started under Trump, Slater responded that resources are a crucial consideration in taking cases further. She added that antitrust civil litigation is costly, which will be a consideration.

Concerns of Politically Motivated Litigation

There have been concerns of politically motivated litigation, given Trump's long-standing antagonism with companies like Google. When asked if she would open an investigation or file a lawsuit for any reason other than legitimate law enforcement purposes, Slater responded that she doesn't anticipate a fact pattern like the one described.