Exclusive | Lawyers urging caution on antitrust remedies in Google search trial have cozy ties to Big Tech

A group of prominent lawyers claimed to be objective last month as they urged a federal judge to take “caution” when imposing antitrust remedies against Google’s online search empire — but many of them have cozy ties to Big Tech, The Post has learned.US District Judge Amit Mehta is expected to rule by August on the best way to rein in Google’s illegal dominance over online search after ruling last year that the company was a “monopolist.” The Justice Department, rather than merely punishing past misdeeds, wants Google and CEO Sundar Pichai to sell the Chrome web browser, among other remedies.On May 6, a group of former DOJ and Federal Trade Commission antitrust enforcers submitted an amicus brief warning the federal judge against aggressive remedies.The lawyers said their brief was made “in support of neither party” and was intended to guide Mehta on following the “proper remedy standard.”However, many of brief’s coauthors have direct or indirect links to Google and other Big Tech firms.

That includes Joe Sims, who last year dismissed criticism of Google’s widespread evidence destruction as “silly,” and Willard Tom, who once defended Google in the high-profile antitrust lawsuit filed by “Fortnite” maker Epic Games.Their arguments closely match those of the defense offered by Google, which claims the DOJ’s proposals go far beyond the bounds of antitrust law and that the court risks jeopardizing American AI leadership – and even national security.The lawyers’ links to Big Tech raised alarms with Google’s critics, including Sacha Haworth, executive director at the Tech Oversight Project, who told The Post that it “speaks volumes that the only people rushing to Google’s defense are people paid by Google to care.”“If Google is broken up, it will be a win for our digital economy that will lead to lower prices and more choices for consumers,” Haworth added.Aside from a forced divestment of Chrome, the DOJ wants Google to...