House committee accuses Amazon of possible criminal obstruction of Congress


The House Judiciary Committee is asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate Amazon and certain company executives "for what lawmakers say is potentially criminal obstruction of Congress," The Wall Street Journal reports Wednesday, per sources familiar with and a letter containing the request.
The letter, sent to Attorney General Merrick Garland, accuses Amazon of refusing to hand over information requested by antitrust investigators looking into the tech giant's competitive practices. Lawmakers allege said refusal "was an attempt to cover up what it calls a lie that the company told lawmakers about its treatment of outside sellers on its platform," the Journal writes.
"Amazon repeatedly endeavored to thwart the committee's efforts to uncover the truth about Amazon's business practices," the lawmakers' letter reads ."For this, it must be held accountable." The committee added that it is flagging for the DOJ "potentially criminal conduct by Amazon and certain of its executives."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Specifically, lawmakers have taken issue with the company's response to inquiries about "how it uses the data of third-party sellers on its platform when creating private-label products, and how it treats those Amazon brands in its search results," reports the Journal.
A company spokesperson had previously denied Amazon or its executives ever misled the committee and claimed "internal policy prohibits using individual seller data to develop Amazon products," adds the Journal. Company executives have testified similarly before the House committee.
But this new letter dated March 9 "escalates tensions between Amazon and lawmakers who conducted a 16-month antitrust investigation" into it, Apple, Google parent company Alphabet, and Facebook parent company Meta. The interactions with just Amazon, however, have been "particularly contentious," the Journal notes, with the company now the only of the four giants listed to be accused of possible obstruction.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Bluetoothing: the phenomenon driving HIV spike in Fiji
Under the Radar ‘Blood-swapping’ between drug users fuelling growing health crisis on Pacific island
-
Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetime
Feature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
-
Book reviews: ‘We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution’ and ‘Will There Ever Be Another You’
Feature The many attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution and Patricia Lockwood’s struggle with long Covid
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies