Google Helped Honor FTC Chairman During Agency Inquiry

I hate to be cynical but is this really news? Everyone should know that Washington, today, is just about feeding the hogs at the trough--

Google Helped Honor FTC Chairman During Agency Inquiry - Bloomberg: " . . . At the time, the FTC was investigating whether Mountain View, California-based Google unfairly disadvantaged competing websites by favoring its own services in search results. The agency ended the 20-month antitrust probe on Jan. 3 with no enforcement action. Google agreed to voluntary changes in some search practices and signed a consent decree regarding the use of certain patents. “It’s a little bit odd that they’re donating to Common Sense Media at the exact same time they’re trying to influence Jon Leibowitz,” said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog group. “It really looks terrible.” Leibowitz, who had been chairman since 2009, announced on Feb. 1 that he would leave the commission. The White House announced today that current commissioner Edith Ramirez will succeed him as chairman. . . . "

It's sad that Google had to spend millions in order to defeat a meritless FTC investigation, but that's the reality of dysfunctional Washington and our so-called public servants like Jon Leibowitz. One wonders why anyone would give an award to any public servant for just doing their job, which after all is paid for by all of us. The whole practice is wrought with corruption, politics, and other vices.

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