Facebook asks for recusal of FTC Chair Lina Khan, claiming bias

Facebook is pushing for Lina Khan, the new head of the Federal Trade Commission, to step away from antitrust investigations into the social network giant. The tech company asserts that Khan's previous public criticism of the company's market power makes it impossible for her to be impartial in the case.

Facebook petitioned the agency Wednesday to remove Khan from taking part in current probes of its market conduct. The motion comes two weeks after Amazon requested that Khan be removed from its case. "When a new commissioner has already drawn factual and legal conclusions and deemed the target a lawbreaker, due process requires that individual to recuse herself from related matters when acting in the capacity of an FTC commissioner," Facebook said in its petition. "Chair Khan has consistently made public statements not only accusing Facebook of conduct that merits disapproval, but specifically expressing her belief that the conduct meets the elements of an antitrust offense."