Watchdog Slams House Majority Antitrust Report

For Immediate Release
October 6, 2020
Contact: Grace Morgan
(202-855-4380)

Washington, D.C. – The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) criticized a new antitrust report released by the House Judiciary Committee Majority. Antitrust has been a recent concern in Congress with the House and Senate holding hearings and criticizing “Big Tech.” If implemented, the recommendations contained in the report will hamper innovation and destroy a flourishing digital economy by restricting tech companies and ultimately limiting the ability of small businesses and online consumers to conduct business. The report also highlights Congressional desires to utilize antitrust as a political weapon instead of protecting consumer welfare.

TPA Vice President of Policy Patrick Hedger offered the following comments:

“The report is in and of itself oxymoronic. It essentially accuses four companies that all compete with one another and are barely old enough to vote or buy a beer of being monopolies in a stagnant market. Of course, the evidence supports no such thing under our current understanding of antitrust because prices to consumers are continuing to fall if they aren’t already at zero. Thus, much of the report unnecessarily focuses on changing the rules of the game so Democrats can make their otherwise-doomed case and weaponize antitrust to achieve whatever policy ends they desire without actually passing legislation. For all the talk about protecting consumers, this expansive new approach to antitrust is an elaborate scam and if implemented will hurt businesses and consumers.”

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