Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) speaks to Intelligence Committee Minority Counsel Stephen Custer and the Intelligence Committee Majority during a House impeachment inquiry hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, Dec. 9, 2019. Send consultant Daniel Goldman to ask questions.
Doug Mills | Pool | Getty Images
A California lawmaker opposed to a crackdown on the tech industry is a leading contender to become the top Democrat on the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee.
Rep. Lou Correa, who represents parts of Southern California, is being discussed as a possible successor to former ranking member David Cicilline, DR.I., according to four sources with background on the private discussions.former cicillin announced that he will leave Congress on June 1.
If Correa were to rise to the post, it would represent a marked shift in attitude at the top of the subcommittee, which just a few years ago led a massive investigation amazon, apple, Google and Facebook It was found that everyone maintained a monopoly. Under Cicilline, the chief executive of each company faced hours of grilling. The Judiciary Committee also managed to pass a series of antitrust bills aimed at reining in the power interests of the industry’s top players by preventing them from favoring their own products in their markets or by prohibiting the ownership of two businesses in which there is a conflict of interest.
Things could still change, but based on his qualifications, Correa is in a good position. Correa’s team has discussed possible priorities for the subcommittee with Justice Department staff, and a vote could come in the next few weeks, according to a House staffer.
A spokesman for Correa declined to comment.
A senior Democratic aide described the prospect of Correa becoming a senior member as “a windfall for tech companies.” If he advances to the top Democratic job, he will sit next to Chairman Thomas Massey, R-Ky. Barker has been the top Republican supporter of the tech antitrust bill.
While Cicilline and Buck support bills aimed at combating what they see as unfair practices by big tech companies and support increased funding for antitrust enforcement agencies, Correa opposes tech antitrust bills and Vote against legislation raising funds Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice Antitrust Division.
Democrats are in the minority in the House, so whoever holds the post cannot set the agenda for the subcommittee. But several sources who spoke to CNBC said Correa’s track record suggests technology antitrust would take a back seat on the subcommittee if he was approved. Various bills that were introduced from the Judiciary Committee in the summer of 2021 have now been put on hold, with the help of the tech lobby.
Correa has been endorsed by the Chamber of Commerce in his 2022 campaign.Chamber of Commerce Clearly Opposes FTC’s Incremental Action, and warn U.S. legislative reforms could undermine the country’s economic security. Since 2018, Correa has received about $17,000 in donations from tech company political action committees, including Amazon, Google and Meta.
Correa is unlikely to be a popular choice among progressive groups. Groups such as the Need for Progress Education Fund, Action for Economic Security Project and Fight for the Future urged the committee in April to choose a replacement for Cicilline, which voted in the House for all of the Justice Tech Anti trust package.
Several senior members of the subcommittee who support tech antitrust reform seemed more likely candidates for the top Democratic seat not long ago. But the field is complicated by the fact that many of them already hold senior membership positions on other subcommittees they may not want to relinquish. Among them were Joe Neguse, former vice chair of the antitrust subcommittee, Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Calif., and Rep. · Pramila Jayapal.
Even so, the top Democratic aide said the focus on tech antitrust issues hasn’t entirely disappeared, even if they’re less of a focus in the House. The aide noted that the White House and law enforcement agencies are grappling with digital competition.
“Those questions remain,” the aide said. “They won’t go.”
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