Facebook petitions for FTC chair’s recusal in antitrust case

Facebook is seeking Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan’s recusal from participating in decisions about how the agency proceeds with its antitrust case against the social media giant, according to a petition the company filed Wednesday.

The company argues Khan must recuse herself over public statements she made before she was confirmed to the commission and named chair earlier this year when she accused Facebook of conduct that “meets the elements of an antitrust offense.”

Facebook’s petition calls out Khan’s time working for the advocacy group Open Markets Institute, her academic writing, and, most recently, her time as an aide on the House Judiciary Committee’s antitrust investigation into tech giants.

Facebook’s petition seeking to recuse Khan comes after Amazon sent a similar request to the FTC last month.