Why Is Barr Going After Google?
An antitrust case wouldn’t make sense even under normal circumstances. With this president, it’s an ominous sign.
What’s the goal?
Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/CNP/Bloomberg
For months, President Donald Trump’s Justice Department has hinted that it intends to crack down on Silicon Valley. It recently took a big step closer as senior antitrust officials met with their state counterparts to plot out a case against Alphabet Inc.’s Google. Quite what they plan to argue isn’t yet clear. But as the final months of Trump’s first term wind down, and an election draws near, some exceptional skepticism is in order.
One reason for caution is that Attorney General William Barr has not exactly been a disinterested enforcer of competition law. Quite the opposite: In recent testimony, a senior Justice Department whistle-blower described how Barr pressured antitrust prosecutors to harass automakers (and others) for transparently political reasons.