VIDEO: Klobuchar Introduces Jonathan Kanter at Judiciary Committee Nomination Hearing for Top Antitrust Post at DOJ

Press Release

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, introduced Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division of the DOJ nominee Jonathan Kanter at his confirmation hearing before the Judiciary Committee.

Klobuchar urged her Senate colleagues to support his confirmation, noting that Kanter possesses the strong legal skills necessary to rejuvenate capitalism and allow competition to flourish.

"Vigorous antitrust enforcement, as I said, is a bipartisan priority. American consumers, workers, and businesses deserve the benefits of free and fair competition. That's why we need him, Jonathan Kanter, at the Antitrust Division."

The full transcript of remarks as given below and video available for TV download HERE and online viewing HERE.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I think this introduction couldn't be more timely, with the testimony over in Commerce Committee yesterday on Facebook, with the work that's going on all over the country with state attorney generals, and that is that I have the honor of introducing Jonathan Kanter as President Biden's nominee to be Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice.

Jonathan is joined by his wife, Lisa, and his children Abigail--good name, that's my daughter's name--and Benjamin. We are honored that you are all here with us today, and you must be very proud of your dad and your husband.

Jonathan was born in New York City, but he now makes his home in Maryland. Over the last two decades, he has represented numerous clients across a wide range of interests and has become one of our nation's most distinguished antitrust practitioners. Respected for his deep experience and expertise, as well as his strong advocacy for vigorous antitrust enforcement, we could not ask for a more qualified nominee to lead the Antitrust Division.

Jonathan began his career as an attorney at the Federal Trade Commission, where he was involved in investigating and challenging anticompetitive mergers.

He went on to private practice and worked for a number of prominent law firms. Then last year, he took the important step of starting his own firm--The Kanter Law Group--an advocacy-focused antitrust firm where he has continued to advocate on behalf of clients in favor of vigorous enforcement of antitrust laws against dominant firms.

Over the course of more than 20 years, Jonathan has represented clients large and small before the Antitrust Division, the Federal Trade Commission, and state attorney general.

In addition to his expertise as a practicing attorney and his knowledge of the antitrust laws, he has a deep understanding of the major competition policy issues confronting enforcers in the US and around the world. That is why Senator Lee and I, actually together, invited him to testify before the Antitrust Subcommittee at a 2018 hearing about taking on monopolies.

We are at a critical moment in antitrust. There is growing bipartisan consensus that our country has a major monopoly power problem and I really, really appreciate the work of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle on this issue. We need, and we agree on this, antitrust enforcers to do more to protect competition, stop the runaway consolidation of our markets, and crack down what are actually today's robber barons.

That requires leadership, experienced leadership, at the Antitrust Division. That requires legal skill, as well as, and I think this cannot be forgotten, the courage to take on some of the most powerful companies the world has ever seen. This doesn't mean destroying these companies, eliminating these companies, it simply means allowing competition to flourish so we can rejuvenate capitalism and have the next generation of successful companies. Jonathan Kanter possesses the skills to do this.

That is why nine former Assistant Attorney Generals--Republicans and Democrats--wrote a letter urging the Senate to "act favorably and as quickly as possible" on his nomination.

Vigorous antitrust enforcement, as I said, is a bipartisan priority. American consumers, workers, and businesses deserve the benefits of free and fair competition. That's why we need him, Jonathan Kanter, at the Antitrust Division.

I urge my Democratic and Republican colleagues to support the nomination, and I want to especially thank Senator Grassley for the work we're doing together on competition, as well as Senator Durbin for quickly calling up this nomination hearing so we can get a leader of the division in place. Thank you.

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