Karen Dunn, other Google lawyers host Kamala Harris fundraiser in middle of DOJ antitrust war
Key members of Google’s legal team are headlining a fundraiser for Kamala Harris on Friday – thumbing their noses at concerns over conflicts of interest as they face off against the Biden-Harris Justice Department in a historic antitrust case targeting the Big Tech giant.
Karen Dunn — the top litigator at white-shoe law firm Paul Weiss defending Google against charges of orchestrating an alleged monopoly over digital advertising — is listed as a co-chair for the pricey shindig in Washington DC.
As The Post reported, Dunn shocked the Beltway last month after she delivered Google’s opening defense in Virginia federal court — and then raced to help Harris with final prep for her debate against Donald Trump in Philadelphia just a few hours later.
Jeannie Rhee and Bill Isaacson, two other Paul Weiss attorneys who have argued Google’s case in the high-stakes trial, are listed as co-hosts. Rhee notably handled cross-examination of news publishers who testified that Google’s tactics had starved their businesses of critical revenue.
The fundraiser’s roster is just the latest sign of what critics have described as an overly friendly relationship between the Harris campaign and Big Tech allies that could upend efforts to rein in the industry.
“It’s a conflict of interest if the government is indebted to opposing counsel,” Jeff Hauser, executive director of the Revolving Door Project, told The Post. “That’s why attorneys should not be allowed to negotiate potential settlements with the Department of Justice if they served as active bundlers, including fundraiser hosts, for that administration.”
Representatives for the Harris campaign and Paul Weiss did not return multiple requests for comment. Google declined to comment.
Tickets to the fundraiser range from $3,300 to $50,000, according to an invitation reviewed by The Post. Co-hosts are expected to contribute at least $25,000, while co-chairs are expected to give $50,000.
Attendees will rub elbows with Democratic bigwigs, including former US Attorney General Eric Holder, Uber general counsel and Harris’s brother-in-law Tony West and ex-acting Attorney General Sally Yates at the Washington DC reception.
All three have faced scrutiny due to their perceived friendliness toward Big Tech and other corporate interests. Both Holder and West are reportedly on the short list of potential candidates for Cabinet positions if Harris wins the presidency.
Brendan Benedict, an antitrust litigator at Benedict Law Group, said the fundraiser is a bad look for Harris – who notably blasted Trump in July for “relying on support from billionaires and big corporations” and “trading access in exchange for campaign contributions” after he reportedly hosted a dinner for oil industry executives at Mar-a-Lago.
“Accepting campaign contributions from Google executives and Google lawyers or attending events hosted by them in the middle of two DOJ-led antitrust suits against the company may not violate federal ethics laws, but it might lead a reasonable voter to question the integrity of a Harris administration under the standard she set for herself,” Benedict said.
“Consumers and competitors harmed by Google’s conduct don’t have the same level of access or the same resources,” he added.
While his name is not listed on the invitation, Paul Weiss Chairman Brad Karp is a major Democratic donor who started a “Lawyers Committee for Kamala Harris” to raise cash for her campaign.
Paul Weiss employees have contributed a whopping $1.54 million to Democratic causes in 2024 alone, according to OpenSecrets data.
The DOJ has a pair of pending antitrust cases against Google with major implications for its bottom line. Closing arguments in the digital advertising case are slated to take place in November.
US District Judge Amit Mehta ruled in August that Google has an illegal monopoly over online search.
The feds recently revealed they could push for a forced divestment of Google’s Chrome browser, its Google Play app store or its Android operating system following the win, with the judge’s final decision expected by next summer.
Critics have previously raised alarms that tech-friendly advisers close to Harris could lobby behind the scenes for leniency toward Google – such as a “slap on the wrist settlement” – rather than a meaningful change to its tactics or even a breakup of the business.
Meanwhile, top Republicans have zeroed in on Dunn’s dual role as a top Google lawyer and close Harris adviser.
Last month, a top Trump campaign adviser blasted Dunn’s activities as “outrageous” and argued it showed Harris will “never stand up to Big Tech.”
On Sept. 10, the GOP-led House Judiciary Committee demanded a briefing from US Attorney General Merrick Garland on how the DOJ was “working to combat potential conflicts of interest and political bias” related to Dunn’s involvement in the Google trial.
