Big Tech BFF: Top Google Lawyer's Role in Kamala Harris Debate Prep Raises Ethical Concerns

A top attorney for Google, currently defending the tech giant in a landmark antitrust trial, has been revealed to be a key advisor to the Kamala Harris presidential campaign, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest and political bias.

The New York Post reports that Karen Dunn, a leading lawyer for Google in its high-stakes antitrust battle with the U.S. government, is also playing a crucial role in advising the Kamala Harris presidential campaign. This dual role has raised eyebrows among tech antitrust watchdogs, who are questioning the ethical implications of such a close relationship between a major tech company and a presidential candidate.

Last Tuesday, Dunn delivered the opening defense for Google in a Virginia federal court, where the company is facing a lawsuit from the Justice Department over its digital ad business. Remarkably, on the same day, Dunn reportedly rushed out of the courtroom to assist Harris in her final preparations for the presidential debate against Donald Trump in Philadelphia.

Jeff Hauser, executive director at the Revolving Door Project, expressed his astonishment at the situation, stating, “You couldn’t have scripted this any better if you were writing a TV movie.” Dunn’s influence in Democratic circles appears to be at an all-time high, potentially boding well for Google as it navigates multiple antitrust challenges.

Anti-monopoly experts have expressed concern that Dunn and other tech-friendly advisors in Harris’s inner circle may push for a lenient settlement rather than a more aggressive approach, such as breaking up Google’s dominant monopolies. While Dunn is a highly respected lawyer with a history of defending major tech clients, some experts view Google’s decision to have her deliver the opening statement as a strategic move to showcase her ties to the White House.

Brendan Benedict, an antitrust litigator at Benedict Law Group who has faced off against Google in court, highlighted the potential demoralizing effect on the Department of Justice attorneys working tirelessly on the adtech case, only to see the administration collaborating with the opposition’s lawyer for advice. He also suggested that Dunn could be a potential candidate to replace current antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter if Harris were to take office.

The controversy surrounding Dunn’s involvement in the Harris campaign is just one facet of the ethical quagmire surrounding the Google adtech case. Paul Weiss, the law firm where Dunn is a top litigator, has been accused of switching sides by agreeing to defend Google after previously working with the company’s critics. The firm has also faced allegations of violating attorney-client privilege and ignoring court-imposed restrictions related to the case.

Top Republicans have begun to criticize Harris over her reliance on Dunn, with the GOP-led House Judiciary Committee demanding a briefing from the Department of Justice on how it is working to combat potential conflicts of interest and political bias. A top Trump campaign advisor described Dunn’s activities as “outrageous” and argued that it demonstrates Harris’s unwillingness to stand up to Big Tech.