Lauren Feiner is a elder argumentation newsman astatine The Verge, covering the intersection of Silicon Valley and Capitol Hill. She spent 5 years covering tech argumentation astatine CNBC, penning astir antitrust, privacy, and contented moderation reform.
The Federal Trade Commission doesn’t person immoderate staffing issues that will effect its expertise to look Amazon successful proceedings aft all, an lawyer for the authorities said successful a filing to a national court, hours aft saying they needed a two-month delay.
The astonishing missive appeared Wednesday successful the docket for the FTC’s deceptive practices suit accusing Amazon of misleading consumers pinch its Prime sign-up and cancellation flow. At a hearing earlier that day, FTC lawyer Jonathan Cohen told Judge John Chun that they needed to push the proceedings commencement day backmost from September 22nd, since, “we person mislaid labor successful the agency, successful our section and connected our lawsuit team,” CNBC reported. Just hours later, Cohen revenge a signed letter to “clarify” his statement.
“I was wrong,” Cohen writes. “The Commission does not person assets constraints and we are afloat prepared to litigate this case. Please beryllium assured that the FTC will meet immoderate schedule and deadlines the tribunal sets.”
It’s not clear what happened successful the hours betwixt Cohen’s connection to the tribunal and the missive being filed. And while assets constraints for the enforcement agencies are not wholly retired of the ordinary, Cohen’s first comments came amidst the Department of Government Efficiency’s push to make workforce cuts crossed agencies. So far, the FTC has not seen immoderate of the sweeping cuts knowledgeable by the Department of Education aliases US Agency for International Development (USAID), but The Verge reported that much than a twelve probationary staffers crossed the FTC were trim successful precocious February.
The flip-flop raises questions astir what the existent effect of authorities cuts will mean for enforcement agencies for illustration the FTC. At her information proceeding to lead the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, Gail Slater did not straight perpetrate to a guidance successful ongoing tech antitrust litigation, noting she’d request to evaluate resources erstwhile confirmed. So far, DOGE’s effect has forced galore agencies to effort to do much pinch less.
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