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David Cicilline

6 Oct, 4 tweets, 1 min read

This has been a thorough, top to bottom review of the state of competition in the digital economy. Our investigation has confirmed three key findings.

First, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google each serves as a gatekeeper over a key channel of distribution in the economy, allowing them to pick winners and losers. They each abuse their power through exorbitant fees, oppressive contracts, and extracting valuable data.

Second, each platform uses its gatekeeper position to protect its power. By controlling the infrastructure of the digital age, they have surveilled other businesses to identify potential rivals—and ultimately bought out, copied, or cut off their competitive threats.

And third, these platforms abuse their control to expand their power. Whether it’s through self-preferencing, predatory pricing, or requiring users to buy additional products, the dominant platforms have used their power in destructive ways in order to grow even bigger.

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David Cicilline

@davidcicilline

6 Oct

In light of these facts, there is a clear and compelling need for Congress to take action. To that end, we are proposing a menu of policy options around three key objectives.

First, to restore competition in the digital economy, among other options, we should consider structural separations and prohibitions on certain dominant platforms from operating in adjacent lines of business.

Second, to strengthen existing antitrust laws, we should consider updating Clayton Act and the Sherman Act, along with other measures to strengthen overall enforcement.

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David Cicilline

@davidcicilline

14 Feb

It’s hard to understand what the Attorney General’s talking about today given everything he’s already done. (1/x)

It was the Attorney General who spun the Mueller report before it was released, withheld the whistleblower report from Congress, and is now reported to be responsible for cases of interest to the President.

I cannot think of a single case like Roger Stone’s, where senior Department of Justice officials intervened to reduce a sentencing recommendation.

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David Cicilline

@davidcicilline

29 May 19

The Special Counsel’s work is done. I thank him and his staff for their service to our country. Now it is time for Congress to do its job.

We’ve had this report for nearly six weeks. It clearly sets forth facts describing ten instances where the President may well have obstructed justice.

As the Special Counsel reminded us today, the Constitution gives Congress the sole power to hold a President accountable for high crimes and misdemeanors.

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David Cicilline

@davidcicilline

22 May 19

Impeachment 101

1. Opening an Impeachment Inquiry:

A formal opening of the process to consider whether the President has committed high crimes and misdemeanors.

2. Investigation:

Once an inquiry has been opened, evidence is gathered, witnesses are called and documents reviewed.

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David Cicilline

@davidcicilline

17 May 19

BREAKING: House of Representatives just passed the Equality Act!

The LGBTQ community has waited nearly 250 years for full equality in our country. Today, we’re one step closer to that goal.

Equal treatment under the law and a commitment to fairness and equality are founding values of our country. Discrimination of any kind is wrong and no one should ever be treated as less than equal because of who they are or who they love.

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