(FreedomBeacon.com)- Conservatives are concerned about the leading contender for the Federal Trade Commission because they say they have a lengthy history of the candidate advancing the agenda of Big Tech.
According to a report on Tuesday, Svetlana Gans has been meeting with Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, amid rumors that she is the front-runner to be the next Republican nominee for the consumer protection agency.
A former aide to the Senate Judiciary Committee said that Svetlana Gans would be a “complete and utter disaster” for Republican lawmakers who want to ensure that big tech companies are held accountable. She has a history of being friendly with Big Tech and currently works for a law company that represents Facebook. Her opposition will come from conservative groups.”
Gans is a Gibson Dunn law firm partner, which counts Facebook/Meta, Google, and Amazon among its clients. Gans represents these companies. According to the report, she has worked with major cable and telecommunications firms while employed with The Internet and Television Association.
American Principles Project Policy Director Jon Schweppe said, “We don’t want a surrogate for Big Tech.”
Schweppe said they do not want someone who has built a career out of promoting the largest firms in the world. They want someone who will be wary of the concentrated power of Big Tech and eager to crack down on the anti-competitive activities of Big Tech is what they are looking for in the next leader. They want someone who will be challenging but fair.”
Republicans have made efforts to rein in Big Tech, particularly in light of charges that the industry was biased against conservatives and censored content during the most recent presidential election campaign.
An anonymous insider said that those who embrace Big Tech might muddy the waters in various ways. There’s a possibility that Gans becomes the majority vote at the FTC, and that would be disastrous for the agenda.
FTC Commissioner Noah Phillips, appointed by the Republican-controlled Senate, will step down from his position this fall. According to the study, there cannot be more than three members of the FTC who belong to the same political party.
When it comes time to nominate the next Republican candidate for the Federal Trade Commission, McConnell will be in charge of the process. In the event that a Democrat vacates their seat on the Federal Trade Commission, President Joe Biden will be the nominator.
