FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Andrea Beaty, beaty@therevolvingdoorproject.org
Following news coverage that Yelp and the News/Media Alliance filed an unsuccessful motion to take BigLaw firm Paul Weiss off Google’s defense team in the adtech antitrust case brought by the DOJ, the Revolving Door Project submitted a Freedom of Information Act Request for communications between Paul Weiss and key Department of Justice officials. The American Prospect featured the request in their coverage of Google’s attempts to remove DOJ Antitrust Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter from the case, as well as Paul Weiss’ potential conflicts.
Jeff Hauser, Revolving Door Project Executive Director, said, “Although Judge Leonie M. Brinkema denied the motion on the grounds that BigLaw is rife with conflicts of interest and deeming this one problematic would call too much conduct into question, the fact remains that Paul Weiss’ heel turn on Google raises unique questions. Past work for competitors of Google and Paul Weiss’ connections to current Department of Justice officials continue to raise questions about conflicts of interest that may unfairly assist Google’s defense against the monumental allegations Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter has put forward. Paul Weiss is leaning on known former officials turned corporate defenders like Karen Dunn, who has extensive personal ties to her former boss, Merrick Garland, as well as to the DOJ more generally. Our FOIA request seeks to cast a light on whether these behind-closed-doors connections are manifesting in the work of the DOJ.”
The Revolving Door Project specifically asked for communications between any employee of Paul Weiss and Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, or their offices, since the beginning of the Biden Administration. The Project also requested the DOJ process the request on an expedited basis so that the communications may be revealed before the DOJ Google case concludes.
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