Amazon accuses FTC of harassing Bezos and Jassy in Prime investigation
Summary
Amazon accused the Federal Trade Commission of harassing executive chairman Jeff Bezos and CEO Andy Jassy by asking them to testify in its investigation of the companys Prime subscription business, acknowledging the probe in a filing dated August 5 that was recently made public. Amazon is seeking to limit or quash civil investigative demands, similar to a subpoena, issued to the company and to individual current and former employees, according to the filing. Lawyers for the company said in the filing that the FTCs demand for Bezos and Jassy to testify at an investigational hearing "on an open-ended list of topics on which they have no unique knowledge is grossly unreasonable, unduly burdensome, and calculated to serve no other purpose than to harass Amazons highest-ranking executives and disrupt its business operations." After about six months of silence, Amazon alleged, FTC staff told the company in April that a new attorney would take over the probe while under "tremendous pressure" to conclude the investigation before the fall. Last year, Amazon sought Khans recusal from its antitrust probes, arguing her past public comments about the company suggest she would not be an impartial voice in matters against the firm.