(Bloomberg) -- Two senior congressional Republicans are targeting Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan for appearing publicly with House Democrats weeks before the November election.
Republicans including House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio said Khan’s reported appearances with lawmakers including Reprentatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut and Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado potentially violate a ban on partisan political activity by federal government employees.
Jordan and Senator Mike Lee of Utah, in a letter to Khan on Monday announcing their joint inquiry, said her “campaign-style tour” raises perception of breaching ethical standards. They didn’t provide any particular comments that Khan made nor cite specific violations.
Khan is a frequent target of congressional Republicans, who accuse her of being overly aggressive in enforcing antitrust laws. The FTC has received the Jordan and Lee letter, but has no comment, said spokeswoman Juliana Gruenwald Henderson.
One event that Khan attended this month with Democrat Representative Ruben Gallego — running in a competitive race for an open US Senate seat — was not promoted as an openly political gathering, but rather a “Renters Listening Session.”
Jordan and Lee asked Khan to turn over documents and other materials on her scheduling and travel related to such events by Nov. 4, the day before the election.
Both lawmakers have oversight authority over the FTC. Jordan chairs the House Judiciary Committee while Lee is the ranking Republican on the Senate subcommittee on competition policy, antitrust and consumer rights under the Committee on the Judiciary.
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