A top Google lawyer currently defending the tech giant in a landmark antitrust trial has been revealed to be a key adviser to Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest and political bias.
of New York Post Reports Karen Dunn, Google's lead lawyer in its high-stakes antitrust battle with the U.S. government, has been revealed to also play a key role as an adviser to Kamala Harris' presidential campaign — a dual role that has raised questions among tech industry antitrust watchdogs who question the ethical implications of such a close relationship between a major tech company and a presidential candidate.
Last Tuesday, Dunn gave opening statements in Virginia federal court for Google, which is being sued by the Department of Justice over its digital advertising business. Surprisingly, the same day, Dunn reportedly skipped the courtroom to help Harris with final preparations for her upcoming presidential debate with Donald Trump in Philadelphia.
Revolving Door Project executive director Jeff Houser expressed surprise at the situation, saying, “If he was writing a TV movie, he couldn't have written it better.” Dunn's influence within the Democratic Party appears to be at an all-time high, which could bode well for Google as it navigates multiple antitrust challenges.
Anti-monopoly experts have expressed concern that Mr. Dunn and other tech-friendly advisers to Ms. Harris will push for a generous settlement rather than a more aggressive approach, such as breaking up Google's dominant monopoly. Though Mr. Dunn is a highly respected lawyer with a track record of defending big tech companies, some experts see Google's decision to let him make an opening statement as a strategic move to demonstrate its ties to the White House.
Brendan Benedict, an antitrust lawyer at Benedict Law Firm who has taken on Google in court, said it could be demoralizing for DOJ lawyers working hard on ad tech litigation to see the administration working with and taking advice from opposing lawyers, and suggested Dunn could be a candidate to replace current antitrust chief Jonathan Cantor if Harris is appointed.
The controversy over Dunn's involvement with the Harris campaign is just one aspect of the ethical quagmire surrounding Google's ad tech lawsuits. Dunn's top litigation lawyer, Paul, Weiss, the law firm where he is the firm's chief litigator, has been accused of switching sides after previously working with the company's critics and now defending Google. The firm also faces accusations that it violated attorney-client privilege and ignored court-imposed restrictions related to the litigation.
Top Republicans have begun criticizing Harris for her reliance on Dunn, with the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee demanding the Justice Department explain what efforts it is making to combat potential conflicts of interest and political bias. A senior adviser to the Trump campaign called Dunn's actions “outrageous” and argued they show Harris' unwillingness to stand up to Big Tech.
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Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering free speech and online censorship.
