Associate AG Vanita Gupta (DOJ no. 3) gave the keynote today at Georgetown #antitrust. Nothing super newsy in her remarks, but Gupta sought to reframe discussions about antitrust as economic justice
"Robust antitrust enforcement is critically important for advancing economic justice," she said.
"Too often, powerful companies exploit consumers and tilt the playing field in favor of the already powerful. But everyone deserves to benefit from a free, fair and competitive economy."
"Competition benefits everyone. Unlawful monopolies only benefit monopolists. A lack of competition means fewer new products and higher prices. It means the owners of powerful firms make more without having to grow the size of the pie for anyone else."
"The harm is far from abstract or academic. It directly affects millions of families by growing the digital divide, creating banking deserts in too many communities of color, and making it more difficult or expensive for Americans to eat, to travel or to go to the doctor."
"Digital markets may involve new technologies, but the tactics of these digital platforms are nothing new. Buying would-be rivals. Boxing out firms who won’t be bought. Leveraging a monopoly position in one market to grow a position in another."
"The Department of Justice has dealt with these tactics from the likes of Standard Oil and Microsoft. We will do so again whenever the facts and the law demand action to protect the economy, no matter how powerful the violator."
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
