Sacha Haworth, Executive Director of The Tech Oversight Project, released the following statement after Governor Newsom’s May budget revision included $25 million for the California Department of Justice to prosecute anti-competitive practices:
“While the Trump Administration continues to abandon its responsibility to hold corporate interests accountable with a pay-to-play approach to mergers and acquisitions, we’re glad to see California stepping into the antitrust enforcement void to protect consumers in the Golden State. With this new funding, we hope to see robust enforcement that will challenge Big Tech companies that are raising prices and undermining competition across our economy. Together with the recent appointment of former CFPB director Rohit Chopra to lead California’s new Business and Consumer Services Agency, this investment is set to pay dividends for consumers, showing how California can lead the nation on consumer protection and fair competition.”