A Google logo is seen at the Google offices in the Chelsea section of New York City, U.S., January 20, 2023.
REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton//File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Alphabet Inc FollowARLINGTON, Virginia Sept 15 (Reuters) - U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema on Friday declined to order a Justice Department official to stay out of the government's advertising antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google but said the department "should think about it."
In November 2021, Google asked the Justice Department to consider requiring Jonathan Kanter, assistant attorney general in charge of antitrust, to recuse himself because of his work for a long list of Google critics.
The Justice Department filed the advertising lawsuit in January in Arlington, Virginia, along with eight states, and nine other states joined in April.
While Brinkema declined to order Kanter recused, she seemed skeptical during a court hearing that he should be involved and added that the Justice Department should "use some wisdom" in deciding what to do.
Persons:
Shannon Stapleton, Leonie Brinkema, Jonathan Kanter, Brinkema, Kanter, David Shepardson, Diane Bartz, Timothy Gardner
Organizations:
REUTERS, Justice Department, Alphabet's, Google, D.C, Thomson
Locations:
Chelsea, New York City, U.S, ARLINGTON , Virginia, Arlington , Virginia, Washington, United States