December 13, 2007

EPIC and CDD Move For FTC Chairman's Recusal From Review of Proposed Google-Doubleclick Merger

The Electronic Privacy Information Center and Center for Digital Democracy are asking the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission to recuse herself from the agency's review of Google's proposed acquisition of online ad firm DoubleClick because her husband's law firm is advising DoubleClick on antitrust. In addition, FTC Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras used to work at the law firm, called Jones Day, according to a complaint about the matter sent to the FTC on Wednesday by the privacy groups. Majoras' husband, John M. Majoras, is an equity partner with Jones Day and is in charge of the firm's business development in the Washington, D.C., office. "A reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts would question the chairman's impartiality in this matter" as a result of these facts, the complaint says.

Groups ask FTC chair to recuse in Google-DoubleClick review, CNet News.com, December 12, 2007.