DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ US Attorney General Merrick Garland tells Republicans defunding FBI would be 'catastrophic'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Sarah N. Lynch | Thomson Reuters | Sarah N. Lynch Is The Lead Reporter For Reuters Covering The U.S. Justice Department Out Of Washington | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The Justice Department works for the American people." [1/3]U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and attendees in the room hold their hands over their hearts for the U.S. Republicans have also been critical of the department's handling of a five-year-long tax investigation into Hunter Biden, 53. Hunter Biden lives in California. Republicans on Wednesday grilled Garland about the Hunter Biden case.

Persons: General Merrick Garland, Garland, Donald Trump, Joe Biden's, Hunter Biden, Biden, Hunter, Jerrold Nadler, Jack Smith, Trump, Smith, Tanya Chutkan, David Weiss, Weiss, Mike Johnson, Sarah N, Lynch, Scott Malone, Matthew Lewis, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: U.S, FBI, Justice Department, Republican, Department of Justice, Democratic, Department, Trump, Capitol, Chinese Communist Party, House, U.S . Department of Justice, Republicans, Attorney, Internal Revenue, Justice, D.C, DOJ, Thomson Locations: U.S, New York, Georgia, Delaware, Washington, Central California, California

Attorney General Merrick Garland said he was not instructed to charge Donald Trump with federal crimes, pushing back against comments made by the former president over the weekend. Trump told NBC that the charges he’s facing as part of special counsel Jack Smith’s classified documents and election interference probes are “Biden political indictments,” and that Biden “said to the attorney general ‘indict him.’”Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California asked Garland to respond to the allegation, “Was [Trump] telling the truth or was he lying when he said the president told you to indict him?”“No one has told me to indict,” Garland said, “and in this case the decision to indict was made by the special counsel.”“So that statement the president made on Sunday was false,” Schiff asked. Garland again repeated that “no one has told me who should be indicted in any matter like this, and the decision about indictment was made by Mr. Smith,” referring to special counsel Jack Smith.

Persons: Merrick Garland, Donald Trump, Trump, Jack Smith’s, Biden “, ‘, ’, Adam Schiff of, Garland, “, ”, ” Garland, ” Schiff, Smith, Jack Smith Organizations: NBC, Biden, Democratic, Adam Schiff of California

☆ DOJ 'will not be intimidated' by partisan attacks, Attorney General Garland tells House panel
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland testifies during a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee on oversight of the Department of Justice, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C., Sept. 20, 2023. WASHINGTON — Attorney General Merrick Garland delivered a full-throated defense of federal law enforcement officers and the Department of Justice in testimony Wednesday before the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee. Even the official announcement of the oversight hearing underscored Jordan's political agenda, explaining that lawmakers intended to "examine how the Justice Department has become politicized and weaponized under the leadership of Attorney General Merrick Garland." Our job is not to take orders from the president, from Congress, or from anyone else, about who or what to criminally investigate," the attorney general said. Garland said, "All of us at the Justice Department recognize that with this work comes public scrutiny, criticism, and legitimate oversight."

Persons: General Merrick Garland, Garland, Jim Jordan, Jordan, Donald Trump, Joe Biden's, Hunter Biden, Jack Smith, Delaware David Weiss, Weiss, Trump, Smith Organizations: Department of Justice, Capitol, Washington , D.C, Ohio Republican, WASHINGTON —, Republican, Justice Department, House Republicans, Trump, U.S, Attorney Locations: Washington ,, WASHINGTON, Delaware

Internal Revenue Service agents have claimed in whistleblower testimony the investigation was “slow walked” and the authority of the prosecutor in charge was curtailed by the Justice Department. While the Hunter Biden case is far from typical, it touches on some of the more mundane but less-well-understood aspects of the criminal justice system. Such an order, requiring approval in this case by Garland or another senior Justice Department official, gives the prosecutor what’s typically known as “special attorney” status. This person is not subject to day-to-day supervision of the Justice Department, but must still comply with department regulations, policies and procedures. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE COMPLICATIONS ON THE HUNTER BIDEN CASE?

Persons: Merrick Garland, Hunter Biden, Garland, Joe Biden, –, what’s, David Weiss, Weiss, Biden, Hunter, Gary Shapley, Thomas Sobocinski, —, ” Sobocinski, “ Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Republicans, Justice Department, Internal Revenue Service, FBI, Drug, Administration, Homeland, Prosecutors, Department, IRS, Delaware U.S, Hunter Biden, HUNTER, Congressional Republicans Locations: U.S, Delaware, Washington and California

☆ SpaceX countersues Justice Department, seeking to dismiss hiring discrimination case
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Michael Sheetz | In Michaeljsheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk's SpaceX sued the U.S. Department of Justice in a Texas federal court, as the company aims to stop the DOJ's hiring discrimination case on constitutional grounds. Unlike SpaceX's suit, filed in the Southern District of Texas, the DOJ suit was filed within a division of the agency that adjudicates immigration cases, a key point of contention in the company's response. "SpaceX has not engaged in any practice or pattern of discriminating against anyone, including asylees or refugees. SpaceX's suit names a trio of defendants, including U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. SpaceX's hiring tops the acceptance rates of even the most selective, elite U.S. colleges, as "only about 1% of applications result in a hire," according to the company.

Persons: Elon, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer, Feld, General Merrick Garland Organizations: SpaceX, U.S . Department of Justice, DOJ, Southern District of, U.S, Export Administration, Persons Locations: Texas, U.S, Southern District, Southern District of Texas

There’s another one attacking President Trump,” Committee Chairmen Jim Jordan of Ohio said in his opening statement. “The Justice Department’s got both sides of the equation covered.”Republican Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana alleged that the public no longer trusts the Justice Department. The Justice Department works for the American people.”The hearing comes shortly after the Justice Department indicted Hunter Biden on federal firearms charges. Republicans have alleged that the Justice Department interfered with the Hunter Biden investigation. The topic is sure to stick around as Republicans’ impeachment inquiry into President Biden will put a particular focus on how the Justice Department handled Hunter Biden’s case.

Persons: Merrick Garland, Donald Trump, Joe Biden’s, Hunter, “, Biden, There’s, Trump, Jim Jordan, Department’s, Mike Johnson, ” Johnson, Biden's, ” Garland, Hunter Biden, David Weiss, Garland, Weiss, ” Organizations: Committee, Republicans, Justice Department, ”, Republican, Department, Trump, Justice Locations: Ohio, Louisiana, U.S, Delaware

☆ US attorney general to tell House Republicans: 'I am not Congress's prosecutor'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Sarah N. Lynch | Thomson Reuters | Sarah N. Lynch Is The Lead Reporter For Reuters Covering The U.S. Justice Department Out Of Washington | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

This will be Garland's first testimony before Congress since two historic firsts: the department's criminal charges against a former U.S. president, Trump, and against a sitting president's adult child. Republicans have also been critical of the department's handling of a five-year-long tax investigation into Hunter Biden, 53. Weiss' office this month charged Hunter Biden with three counts related to purchase and possession of a firearm while he was using illegal drugs. Hunter Biden intends to plead not guilty. "Singling out individual career public servants who are just doing their jobs is dangerous," Garland plans to say.

Persons: General Merrick Garland, David Weiss, Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, Bonnie Cash, Garland, Republican Donald Trump, Joe Biden's, Trump, Biden, Hunter, Jack Smith, Smith, Tanya Chutkan, Weiss, Sarah N, Lynch, Scott Malone, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Justice Department, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Republican, House, Democratic, Department, Republicans, Delaware U.S, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, New York, Georgia, Delaware, Washington

☆ Takeaways from the combative House Judiciary Committee hearing with Attorney General Merrick Garland
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Jeremy Herb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —House Republicans and Attorney General Merrick Garland clashed Wednesday at a testy hearing that offered a preview of the coming Republican impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden focused on allegations surrounding his son, Hunter Biden. He also didn’t engage in GOP attacks against special counsel Jack Smith’s investigations into former President Donald Trump. Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, one of the three committee chairs spearheading the impeachment inquiry, accused the Justice Department of not prosecuting Hunter Biden over the tax years when Hunter Biden was on the board of Ukrainian energy firm Burisma. “I’m going to say again, and again, if necessary, I did not interfere with, did not investigate, did not make determinations” on the Hunter Biden case, the attorney general said. I made him special counsel,” Garland said.

Persons: General Merrick Garland, Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, Garland, David Weiss, Weiss, Jack Smith’s, Donald Trump, Hunter, –, Jim Jordan, Jordan, Burisma, Biden, ” Jordan, Matt Gaetz, Devon Archer, ‘, ’ Garland, “ I’m, “, Garland didn’t, ” Garland, Trump –, Mr, Adam Schiff, Smith, “ Biden, Biden “, ’ ” “, Trump, ” Schiff, defunded, Jeff Van Drew, ”, ” Van Drew, Van Drew Organizations: CNN — House Republicans, Justice Department, Florida Republican, IRS, Trump, Republicans, Dems, Press, Supreme, House Republicans, New, New Jersey Republican, FBI, Southern Poverty Law Center, DOJ Locations: Ukraine, ”, Florida, Delaware, Eastern Europe, New Jersey

☆ AG Garland spars with GOP in House hearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsAG Garland spars with GOP in House hearingPostedWednesday marked U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland's first testimony before Congress since two historic firsts: the department's criminal charges against a former U.S. president and against a sitting president's adult child. This report produced by Freddie Joyner.

Persons: Garland, General Merrick Garland's, Freddie Joyner Locations: U.S

☆ US attorney general: 'I am not Congress's prosecutor'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsUS attorney general: 'I am not Congress's prosecutor'PostedU.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland told a Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives committee on Wednesday (September 20) that he runs a nonpolitical department that does not do the bidding of the president or lawmakers.

Persons: General Merrick Garland Organizations: Republican, House

CNN —Attorney General Merrick Garland forcefully rebuked congressional Republicans who have accused the Justice Department of political bias as he opened a contentious House Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington on Wednesday. Even with the face-saving indictment last week of Hunter Biden, everyone knows the fix is in,” House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan said in his opening statement. The House Judiciary Committee has also been probing allegations from an IRS whistleblower that the Justice Department investigation into Hunter Biden was politically tainted. “House Republicans will use their time today to talk about long-discredited conspiracy theories and Hunter Biden’s laptop. Several House Republicans – including McCarthy – have floated an impeachment of the attorney general, although those calls have quieted down as House Republicans have turned their impeachment lens on President Joe Biden himself.

Persons: General Merrick Garland, “, ” Garland, ”, Donald Trump, Joe Biden’s, Hunter Biden, Jack Smith’s, Jim Jordan, Garland, –, Kevin McCarthy, Hunter, Trump, Jerry Nadler, ” Nadler, Jordan, Hunter Biden’s, he’s, David Weiss, Gary Shapley, Weiss, McCarthy, Joe Biden Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, Department, Republicans, Trump, US, IRS, Capitol, FBI, DOJ Locations: Washington, politicization, ”, York, Jordan

☆ Insider Today: Ex-Goldman partners dish
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter. In today's big story, former Goldman Sachs partners explain what led them to leave their prestigious positions within the bank. A recent Insider investigation by Dakin Campbell and Emmalyse Brownstein found that at least 202 partners have left the firm during CEO David Solomon's volatile five-year tenure. And while Solomon's strategic missteps were a key talking point for many, not all the former partners bashed the CEO. The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, senior editor and anchor, in New York City.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, it's, Goldman, David Solomon, Dakin Campbell, Emmalyse Brownstein, David Solomon's, Dakin, It's, Julian Salisbury, Dina Powell McCormick, Fred Baba, Solomon, Lloyd Blankfein, Apoorva Mehta, Instacart, Daniel Sundheim, Michael Moritz, Here's, Instacart's, Beck, Apoorva, Mehta, Tyler Le, Steve Squeri, Squeri, AEW, Tony Khan, Lauren Boebert, Anna Moneymaker, General Merrick Garland, Kim Kardashian, General Mills, Getty, Dan DeFrancesco, Naga Siu, Hallam Bullock, Lisa Ryan Organizations: Service, D1 Capital Partners, Sequoia, Getty, Sequoia Capital, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management's, American Express, Wrestling, WWE's, Fed, U.S, FedEx, General Locations: Wall, Silicon, What's, —, ChatGPT, Cerebral, Colorado, Mostar, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Greece, Bulgaria, Moldova, New York City, San Diego, London, New York

The new testimony comes as House Republicans begin an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and his family, potentially undercutting one element of that effort. At issue is an October 2022 meeting between prosecutors and case agents working on the Hunter Biden investigation. But the deal fell apart amid scrutiny from a judge, and Weiss subsequently requested special counsel status. Shapley, a 14-year IRS veteran who oversaw parts of the Hunter Biden probe, alleged in testimony to Congress there was political interference in the investigation. Last week, CNN and others reported on Sobocinski’s testimony, which prompted Shapley’s attorneys to dispute his recollection of the October 2022 meeting.

Persons: Hunter, David Weiss, Weiss, Gary Shapley, General Merrick Garland, Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, Shapley, “, Shapley’s, Garland, ” Shapley, Joseph Ziegler, Department's, Hunter Biden Leah Millis, ” Thomas Sobocinski, ”, Darrell Waldon, Ryeshia Holley, “ Mr, Sobocinski, Mark Lytle, Tristan Leavitt, Justice Department “, ” Waldon, Gary, Waldon, ’, Holley, it’s, Michael Batdorf, CNN they’ve, Mark Daly, Jack Morgan, Suchat Pederson, –, Mathew Graves, Martin Estrada, ” Holley, Batdorf Organizations: Washington CNN, FBI, Internal Revenue, CNN, IRS, House Republicans, Republicans, Republican, DOJ, Justice Department, GOP, Congressional, District of Columbia, Central, Central District of, Mr Locations: Delaware, Baltimore, Washington, DC, Washington ,, California, Washington , DC, Wilmington , Delaware, Central District, Central District of California, Batdorf

☆ Biden warns that Trump and MAGA Republicans are 'determined to destroy democracy'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

President Joe Biden warned that Donald Trump and other MAGA Republicans are "determined to destroy democracy." Biden blasted former president Trump at a fundraiser in New York City on Monday night. "Let there be no question: Donald Trump and his MAGA Republicans are determined to destroy American democracy," Biden said. "Crooked Joe Biden is the one who has weaponized his Justice Department to go after his main political opponent — President Trump," Cheung said. "He has directed these illegal witch-hunts to interfere in an election where President Trump is leading him in the polls."

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, MAGA, Biden, Trump, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Steven Cheung, Crooked Joe Biden, President Trump, Cheung, Jack Smith, General Merrick Garland, Stormy Daniels Organizations: White, Marine, Washington , D.C, MAGA Republicans, Department, White House Locations: Washington ,, New York City, Florida, Atlanta, Georgia, New York

☆ Trump says he doesn't worry about going to jail: 'I don't even think about it'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Jonathan Allen | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

"I don't even think about it," Trump, who has been indicted four times this year, said when asked if he worries about prison at night. NBC News has also extended an invitation to President Joe Biden to sit down with Welker for an interview. "First of all, I had very little to do with Jan. 6," Trump said. The officer didn't say that "because of riots," Trump said, alluding to the threat to a president. Welker asked Trump to confirm he was disputing Hutchinson's account.

Persons: Donald Trump isn't, NBC's, Kristen Welker, Trump, Joe Biden, Welker, Jan, Biden, I'm, Brad Raffensberger, didn't, General Merrick Garland's, Biden's, Hunter Biden, Cassidy Hutchinson, patriotically, it's, I've Organizations: Bedminster, NBC, Republicans, Washington , D.C, Trump, Secret, . Secret Service Locations: Washington ,, United States, Georgia

CNN —Former President Donald Trump, in an interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker that aired Sunday on “Meet the Press” continued to make false claims around a variety of subjects including the 2020 election and the January 6 insurrection. The speaker of the House is not in charge of Capitol security. That’s the responsibility of the Capitol Police Board, which oversees the US Capitol Police and approves requests for National Guard assistance. The election was not rigged, and there is no evidence of any fraud large enough to have changed the outcome. Officials from the Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security, along with state election officials, said in a statement after the 2020 election: “The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history.”This story will updated with additional fact checks.

Persons: Donald Trump, NBC’s Kristen Welker, Press ”, Trump, Pelosi, Nancy Pelosi, “, Chris Miller, ” Miller, Mark Meadows, Biden, “ Biden, Joe Biden, Jack Smith, Smith, General Merrick Garland, Garland Organizations: CNN, “, Press, Capitol, Capitol Police Board, US Capitol Police, National Guard, Trump, White House, Department, Trump Trump, Justice Department, Biden, Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security Locations: Washington ,, Florida

☆ Mexican capo Ovidio Guzman extradited to US in win on fentanyl war
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Dave Graham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Two Mexican officials familiar with the matter also confirmed the extradition of the 33-year-old Guzman. He was captured in January after an intense firefight in the northern Mexican state of Sinaloa. The removal of Ovidio Guzman was even quicker than that of his father, who was flown to the U.S. barely a year after his final arrest in Sinaloa in early 2016. The State Department has been offering a reward worth millions of dollars for information leading to the arrest or conviction or Ovidio Guzman and three of his brothers. He was extradited to the United States in 2017 after twice escaping from prison in Mexico.

Persons: Ovidio Guzman, Joaquin, El, Guzman, General Merrick Garland, Ovidio, Garland, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Biden, Dave Graham, Drazen Jorgic, Kanishka Singh, Dan Whitcomb, William Mallard Organizations: Government, REUTERS Acquire, Biden, U.S, Department, State Department, Thomson Locations: Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, MEXICO, United States, Mexican, Sinaloa . U.S, The U.S, U.S, Colorado, Mexico City, Washington

(Hunter Biden possessed the gun for about 11 days in 2018.) Lowell on Thursday said the earlier deal means the gun charges should not be allowed. In addition to the gun case, Weiss is still weighing whether to charge Hunter Biden with tax crimes. Count Two accuses Hunter Biden of lying to the federally licensed gun dealer in Wilmington where he bought the gun. Count Three accuses Hunter Biden of illegally possessing the gun while using drugs or being addicted to drugs, which is a federal crime.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Hunter Biden, David Weiss, It’s, Weiss, Hunter, Abbe Lowell, ” Lowell, MAGA Republicans ’, Hunter Biden “, Lowell, Biden, General Merrick Garland, –, ”, Count, Three, “, Jerry Smith, Ronald Reagan Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, Republicans, MAGA Republicans, Delaware, Prosecutors, Mr, 5th Circuit Locations: California, Washington, Delaware, Wilmington, New Orleans, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Asked about Republicans launching an impeachment inquiry into U.S. President Joe Biden in Congress, Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman clutched his head in mock horror and declared "Oh my God, really?" "Starting an impeachment inquiry will hopefully force the media to cover the mountains of evidence linking Joe Biden to Hunter's business dealings in a way that the American people haven't seen yet." Less than half believe Joe Biden did anything illegal and most voters polled in June said Hunter's legal issues had little impact on their plans to vote for or against his father. The White House sent out a list of comments from Republican House members saying evidence that Biden had done anything wrong had not been found. He did not cite any evidence of misconduct by Joe Biden.

Persons: Joe Biden, Evelyn Hockstein, John Fetterman clutched, Fetterman, Kevin McCarthy, Biden, Barack, Hunter, Karine Jean, Pierre, didn’t, Donald Trump, Hogan Gidley, haven't, Trump, General Merrick Garland, Hunter Biden, Obama, McCarthy, Donald Trump’s, Jeff Mason, Steve Holland, Heather Timmons, Will Dunham, David Gregorio Our Organizations: World Trade, Joint Base Elmendorf, REUTERS, Rights, Pennsylvania Democratic, Republican, GOP, Republicans, Constitution, Democratic, Senate, White House, Trump, House, U.S, Reuters, Gallup, Yahoo, White, Thomson Locations: Richardson, Anchorage , Alaska, Congress, Pennsylvania, U.S

The White House denies any impropriety, calling the impeachment move "extreme politics at its worst." "Starting an impeachment inquiry will hopefully force the media to cover the mountains of evidence linking Joe Biden to Hunter's business dealings in a way that the American people haven't seen yet." He was under pressure from them to launch the impeachment inquiry. The White House sent out a list of comments from Republican House members saying evidence that Biden had done anything wrong had not been found. It also released a previous McCarthy quote in which he said a vote would be needed ahead of an impeachment inquiry otherwise it "would create a process completely devoid of any merit or legitimacy."

Persons: Joe Biden, Evelyn Hockstein, John Fetterman clutched, Fetterman, Kevin McCarthy, Biden, Barack, Hunter, Donald Trump, Hogan Gidley, haven't, Trump, General Merrick Garland, Hunter Biden, Obama, McCarthy, Jeff Mason, Steve Holland, Heather Timmons, Will Dunham Organizations: World Trade, Joint Base Elmendorf, REUTERS, Rights, Pennsylvania Democratic, Republican, GOP, Republicans, White, Constitution, Democratic, Senate, White House, Trump, House, U.S, Reuters, Gallup, Thomson Locations: Richardson, Anchorage , Alaska, Congress, Pennsylvania, U.S, people's

CNN —The FBI agent managing the team on the Hunter Biden criminal case testified to the House Judiciary Committee that US Attorney David Weiss had ultimate authority over the case, contesting testimony brought forward by whistleblowers. “I don’t have a recollection with him saying that there or at any point in my communication with Mr. Weiss,” Sobocinski said. “I wanted to go on record in the room of the leaders who were involved in this investigation,” Sobocinski said. “Thought that it was no, and nobody in that room raised their voice to say anything other.”Sobocinski also addressed broader claims made about how the Hunter Biden criminal investigation has been handled. But Sobocinski was not permitted to discuss the ongoing criminal investigation.

Persons: Hunter Biden, David Weiss, Thomas Sobocinski, Weiss, ” Sobociniski, “ There’s, Joe Biden’s, Gary Shapley, Shapley, “ Weiss, –, Sobocinski, “, ” Sobocinski, Mr, ”, Tristan Leavitt, Mark Lytle, Joseph Ziegler, Merrick Garland, Russell Dye, Jim Jordan, General Merrick Garland, ” Shapley’s, Hunter Biden’s, Hunter Organizations: CNN, FBI, Committee, The Washington Post, House Republicans, Republicans, Internal Revenue Service, IRS, Department, SSA Shapley, Criminal Investigation, Ohio Republican, Judiciary, Justice Department, GOP, Service, Department of Justice, of Justice Locations: Baltimore, Ohio

☆ DOJ fights uphill battle; Google a losing one
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Ben Winck | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The government, in its opening statements, argued that the $1.7 trillion company’s search engine partnerships illegally protected its monopoly, harming consumers. The problem for the DOJ is that consumers readily dole out their data, and not just to Google. Device manufacturers and browser creators choose Google because it’s the highest quality option, and users can easily pick another default search engine, John Schmidtlein, Google’s lead lawyer, argued. The government’s lawyers have their work cut out for them, but a DOJ loss won’t mean a Google victory. The company’s partnerships may set Google as the default search engine on devices and browsers, but users can usually change their default option with a few clicks.

Persons: General Merrick Garland, Jonathan Kanter, Kenneth Dintzer, Dintzer, Amit Mehta, John Schmidtlein, Google’s, DOJ doesn’t, Google's, Lauren Silva Laughlin, Sharon Lam Organizations: U.S . Justice, Alphabet's Google, Justice Department, Reuters, U.S . Department of Justice, Alphabet’s, Google, DOJ, Microsoft, Court, Big Tech, Alphabet’s Google, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON

☆ Landmark Google trial opens with sweeping DOJ accusations of illegal monopolization
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Also being called anticompetitive are Google’s contracts to ensure that Android devices come with Google apps and services — including Google search — preinstalled, the Justice Department claimed. For Google’s opening statement, attorney John Schmidtlein said that Apple’s decision to make Google the default search engine in its Safari browser demonstrates how Google’s search engine is the superior product consumers prefer. The Google case “could not be more different” from the historic Microsoft litigation at the turn of the millennium, Schmidtlein continued. Google has previously said that consumers choose Google’s search engine because it is the best and that they prefer it, not because of anticompetitive practices. Google’s search business provides more than half of the $283 billion in revenue and $76 billion in net income Google’s parent company, Alphabet, recorded in 2022.

Persons: Sundar Pichai, Google’s, Kenneth Dintzer, ” Dintzer, John Schmidtlein, Apple, ”, Schmidtlein, Bing, General Merrick Garland, Anna Moneymaker, ” Schmidtlein, “, Kent Walker, Ken Buck, Trump, Global Affairs Kent Walker, Biden, Amit Mehta, Mehta Organizations: CNN, Google, Justice Department, Microsoft, Apple, Samsung, DOJ, Netscape, Gmail, U.S, The Justice Department, Global Affairs, Court, District of Columbia, Eastern, of Locations: United States, Washington, Apple . WASHINGTON, DC, Washington ,, California , New York , Colorado, Virginia, Colorado, of Virginia

☆ What’s the basis of the Republicans’ Joe Biden impeachment inquiry?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The White House says Biden has done nothing wrong and Republicans have no basis for an impeachment inquiry. Another Hunter Biden associate, Eric Schwerin, also told the panel that he was not aware of any financial involvement by Joe Biden in his relatives' businesses. A Washington Post fact check found that $7 million of that money went to Biden family members, most of it to Hunter, and none went to Joe Biden. PRESSURING UKRAINE'S PROSECUTORWhile serving as vice president, Biden pressured Ukraine to remove its top prosecutor, Viktor Shokin. Republicans and Shokin have separately said Biden was trying to protect Burisma and Hunter Biden from a possible corruption investigation.

Persons: Joe Biden, Evelyn, Hunter, Biden, Devon Archer, Hunter Biden, Archer, Jamie Raskin, Burisma, Mykola Zlochevsky, Eric Schwerin, Viktor Shokin, Shokin, Barack Obama's, Petro Poroshenko, David Weiss, Weiss, General Merrick Garland, Andy Sullivan, Makini Brice, Scott Malone, Alistair Bell, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: World Trade, Joint Base Elmendorf, REUTERS, U.S . House, Democratic, Republicans, FBI, Washington Post, European Union, International Monetary Foundation, House Democrats, Burisma, Fox News Channel, IRS, Justice Department, Trump, U.S, Thomson Locations: Richardson, Anchorage , Alaska, U.S, Ukrainian, Ukraine

☆ Google stands trial against US government officials in antitrust lawsuit over the company's accused search monopoly
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Google’s search business provides more than half of the $283 billion in revenue and $76 billion in net income Google’s parent company, Alphabet, recorded in 2022. Now, the company is set to defend itself in a multiweek trial that could upend the way Google distributes its search engine to users. WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 24: U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during a news conference on a new antitrust lawsuit against Google at the Justice Department on January 24, 2023 in Washington, DC. The Justice Department and states including California, New York, Colorado and Virginia, have filed a lawsuit against Google over the company's monopolization of the market for online ads. Despite that ruling, the trial represents the US government’s furthest progress in challenging Google to date.

Persons: Trump, Eddy, ”, Global Affairs Kent Walker, Biden, General Merrick Garland, Anna Moneymaker, Amit Mehta, Mehta Organizations: CNN, Google, Microsoft, Justice Department, Samsung, Apple, Global Affairs, U.S, The Justice Department, LG, Motorola, Mozilla, Opera, Court, District of Columbia, Eastern, of Locations: Washington, WASHINGTON, DC, Washington ,, California , New York , Colorado, Virginia, United States, Colorado, of Virginia

Search resuls for: "Attorney General Merrick Garland"

25 mentions found