The NY Post writes
US Rep. Zoe Lofgren — a Democrat who’s one of the most vocal opponents of antitrust bills now winding their way through Congress that would target Big Tech — has a daughter who works on Google’s legal team.
That’s a conflict that is stymying legislation to regulate the ever-growing behemoths in her Silicon Valley district, critics on both sides of the aisle say.
Lofgren is senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, which is charged with oversight of Big Tech and antitrust issues. Meanwhile, her daughter Sheila Zoe Lofgren Collins, serves as in-house corporate counsel at Google.
“She has a lot of power in slowing down and even blocking bills,” a person with direct knowledge of the situation told On The Money. “She’s on a war path for the last four months — she’s even spoken openly about her ability to fundraise and is intimidating Democrats about how important tech is for fundraising.”
Lofgren is known to take calls from Apple CEO Tim Cook, this person adds. She’s also seen as an important facilitator for Democrats looking to fill their coffers with tech cash.
“It’s problematic,” said Jeff Hauser, founder and director of the Revolving Door Project, a progressive group that examines money in politics. “It’s definitely a conflict of interest and if I were Lofgren I’d want to address the concerns by recusing myself — not taking a leadership role.”
Read more at https://nypost.com/2021/12/07/major-antitrust-adversary-in-congress-has-daughter-on-googles-legal-team/
