March 5, 2012, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government filed a Freedom of Information Act request of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) asking for records related to former deputy assistant director of the Bureau of Competition Randall Long’s communications with Microsoft Corporation.
It was announced last week, that Microsoft has hired Long to be its director of regulatory affairs in Washington, D.C.
Bill Wilson, President of Americans for Limited Government filed the FOIA because, “Microsoft’s hiring of Long is suspicious, given Long’s long history of advocating within the FTC in favor of Microsoft’s interests. It is important to the integrity of the regulatory process that it be clearly established that there is not even a hint of a quid pro quo relationship.”
The FOIA specifically asks for:
- All records of communications and the communications themselves between Randall Long and any official or personnel of the Microsoft Corporation, and;
- All records of meetings between Mr. Long and any official or personnel of the Microsoft Corporation.
“Any time you see a regulator become known as a leading internal critic of a rival corporation who gets a revolving door hire to a competitor who benefited from his advocacy it is troubling, and this FOIA seeks to get to the bottom of whether there was any improper conduct between Microsoft and Mr. Long,” Wilson added.
The time period covered under the request is on or after Jan. 1, 2009.
Click here for a copy of the FOIA request at www.getliberty.org/files/03-05-12-FTC-FOIA.pdf .
Interview Availability: Please contact Rebekah Rast at (703) 383-0880 or at rrast@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.