Biden names Jonathan Kanter as chief of DOJ Antitrust Division

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration announced today plans to nominate Jonathan Kanter as head of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division.

In response, Barry Lynn, Executive Director of the Open Markets Institute, issued the following statement:

“In naming Jonathan Kanter to run the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice, the Biden administration proved that they are truly serious about fully restoring American democracy. As Open Markets has long made clear, today’s monopolists pose the greatest domestic political threat to Americans since the Civil War. Jonathan Kanter is the right person for this moment — someone who knows how to break the fist of private power and build a rule of law for the digital age.

“Jonathan Kanter is also a true leader who will be able to rebuild an Antitrust Division that has been dangerously stripped down and demoralized in recent decades. He understands how to help the White House restore America’s traditional democratic republican approach to competition. He understands how to help the White House implement its new “whole of government” approach to competition policy.

“With Lina Khan at the Federal Trade Commission, Tim Wu on the National Economic Council, and dozens of other strong leaders in departments and agencies throughout the Biden administration, Jonathan Kanter’s nomination to lead the Antitrust Division spells the end of the era of unaccountable monopoly power in America.

“I have worked closely with Jonathan for many years. He is a friend, and someone I deeply respect and admire. All of us at Open Markets look forward to working with him and his team.”

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Also see: Kanter and Khan on an Open Markets conference panel in 2018.