(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Vice President Kamala Harris has enlisted the help of a Google attorney for her debate preparation, raising serious concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
The attorney, Karen Dunn, serves as lead counsel for Google in a high-profile antitrust lawsuit filed by the Biden-Harris administration, prompting the Trump campaign to sound the alarm.
The ethical dilemma centers around Dunn’s dual role. She is helping Harris prepare for the upcoming ABC News presidential debate on Sept. 10, while also defending Google in a massive antitrust case brought by the Department of Justice.
The Biden-Harris-led DOJ accuses the tech giant of monopolizing the search market by thwarting its competition through illegal means. The trial is set to begin on Sept. 9, just one day before the debate, Fox News reported.
Dunn works for the lawfirm Paul, Weiss, Ritkind, Wharton & Garrison, which is representing Google in the suit. She is notably listed as “lead attorney” in Google’s defense against the DOJ’s lawsuit, Fox added.
The relationship between Harris and Dunn is not new. In 2020, Dunn assisted Harris prepare for her one debate with then-Vice President Mike Pence. Dunn claimed she assisted former President Barack Obama and twice-failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in their debate prep.
In remarks to Fox News, Trump campaign senior adviser Tim Murtaugh said that Harris “will never stand up to Big Tech because she’s being coached on what to say in the debates by Google’s top lawyer.”
Seriously, this is crazy.
The case is the U.S. vs. Google.
Harris is in the Executive Branch suing Google, whose defense lawyer is Karen Dunn.
In addition to defending Google, Dunn also does Harris’s debate prep.
Harris is the Big Tech candidate.https://t.co/cPBbUxLlky
— Tim Murtaugh (@TimMurtaugh) August 26, 2024
He continued, “Think about how outrageous it is — their administration is suing Google, but Harris is taking political advice from the defendant’s lawyer. Any first year law student knows that’s a conflict of interest.”
Murtaugh highlighted the “cozy relationship” between the Biden-Harris administration and Big Tech, particularly amid censorship coordination.
This election-interfering censorship was the subject of a lawsuit by the attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana against the federal government. The Supreme Court ruled against conservatives on standing grounds.
The evidence was staggering. The federal government coerced the social media platforms to censor constitutionally protected free speech in unprecedented levels, the lawsuit alleged.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a former Independent presidential candidate, pointed to this collusion as a key reason his challenge against Biden failed.
Murtaugh suggested that these developments are not “surprising because Big Tech and the Biden-Harris White House have been conspiring to censor and trample the rights of law-abiding citizens since they gained power.”
He continued, “They don’t even try to hide their cozy relationship — it’s all been reported by the media — but it is disgusting and dangerous.”
Dunn did not respond to Headline USA’s request for comment. The questions centered on whether she had discussed the antitrust lawsuit with Harris, informed Google or her law firm of her role in the debate prep or if she is receiving any compensation from the Harris campaign.
Requests for comments were also sent to the law firm’s chief operating officer, Eric Sekler; chief conflicts and compliance officer, Glenn Jones; and deputy general counsel, Elizabeth G. McCabe.
Several critics, including Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and members of the Trump campaign, voiced their reactions on X.
Fox News is reporting that Karen Dunn, Google’s lead trial lawyer in the DOJ Ad Tech case against Google, is prepping Kamala Harris for the debates.
What message does that send to DOJ?
Not a good one.https://t.co/QbB3uwW2XG
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) August 27, 2024
How is this ethical?
“Karen Dunn, who is part of the team prepping Vice President Kamala Harris for the Sept. 10 showdown, is simultaneously working as Google’s lead defense attorney in the Biden-Harris administration’s lawsuit against the tech giant.” https://t.co/xhuBhi9g77
— Francis Brennan (@FrancisBrennan) August 26, 2024
Harris preps for debate with Google lawyer, creating 'conflict of interest,' Trump campaign says
“‘Their administration is suing Google, but Harris is taking political advice from the defendant’s lawyer,' Trump campaign tells Fox News Digital” https://t.co/HQQhsRfhtV
— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) August 26, 2024
