Merrick Garland was confirmed as the next attorney general in a 70-30 vote on Wednesday, filling a key position of Joe Biden‘s administration that will hold sway over issues such as copyright and antitrust enforcement.
Garland will start his tenure just as the Justice Department is challenging Google in an antitrust lawsuit, while the Federal Trade Commission filed an action against Facebook. House and Senate lawmakers of both parties put new scrutiny on the size and scope of tech platforms.
President Joe Biden has yet to nominate a chief of the Justice Department’s antitrust division, but some of his recent moves have suggested an administration desire to take a harder line toward antitrust in general than during the years of Barack Obama.
Charles Rivkin, the chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association, said in a statement, that they were “confident Attorney General Garland appreciates the unique value of the nation’s film, television and streaming industry – including the 2.5 million American jobs it supports – and will work during this challenging time to ensure our community can rebuild stronger than ever before.”
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