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Democratic AGs Urge Court to Reconsider DOJ Settlement in $14B HPE-Juniper Deal

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A coalition of 20 Democratic attorneys general, led by Colorado’s Phil Weiser, is urging a federal court to scrutinize and potentially reject the U.S. Department of Justice’s settlement that cleared Hewlett-Packard Enterprise’s $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks.

In a letter filed Friday, the AGs argued the court must examine whether the DOJ’s decision was tainted by “undue influence” from politically connected lobbyists. “If… the evidence establishes that it was the product of undue influence, then the court should reject it as against the public interest,” Weiser wrote.

The DOJ initially sued to block the merger in January, shortly after Trump took office, citing antitrust concerns that the deal would leave HPE and Cisco controlling over 70% of the U.S. networking equipment market. But just before trial in June, the DOJ reversed course, dropping its case in exchange for HPE agreeing to license Juniper’s AI technology and divest a unit serving small and mid-sized businesses.

That reversal has fueled controversy. Two DOJ antitrust officials who approved the settlement were later fired, in what sources described as retaliation against division head Gail Slater for resisting political pressure to settle. Former DOJ official Roger Alford, one of those dismissed, later accused leadership of having “perverted justice” to favor HPE.

The AGs want the court to hear testimony from Alford and other DOJ staff, as well as consultants tied to HPE, before finalizing approval. The push sets up another flashpoint in the broader debate over antitrust enforcement and political interference in major tech-sector mergers.

French Investigation into Elon Musk’s X Intensifies with Police Involvement

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The investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X has escalated in France, as the Paris prosecutor’s office called on police to probe suspected abuses involving algorithms and fraudulent data extraction linked to the company or its executives. This development adds mounting pressure on Musk, who has publicly accused European governments of infringing on free speech and has expressed support for several far-right parties across the region.

Authorities in France now have the authority to conduct searches, wiretaps, surveillance, or summon Musk and X executives for questioning. Should any individuals refuse to cooperate, an international arrest warrant could be issued. X has not yet responded to requests for comment.

The preliminary inquiry began in January following complaints from a French lawmaker and a senior official concerning alleged foreign interference via the platform, Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau stated. On July 9, after reviewing initial evidence from researchers and public institutions, prosecutors requested the police to investigate X both as a corporate entity and through individuals.

The suspected offenses include “organized interference with the functioning of an automated data processing system” and “organized fraudulent extraction of data from an automated data processing system.”

This probe into a major tech figure risks intensifying tensions between Washington and European capitals over acceptable online discourse. In a related context, Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, remains under judicial supervision in France after his arrest last year on charges of alleged organized crime related to his app, charges he denies. Musk has criticized Durov’s arrest, which has sparked debates about free speech, including discussions by senior officials aligned with former President Trump.

Musk has actively used X to support right-wing political groups in France, Germany, and Britain. While he previously aligned closely with Trump, the two have diverged recently over federal budget issues, with Musk now pursuing the creation of his own political party.

European Central Bank Joins Bluesky, Rival to Elon Musk’s X

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The European Central Bank (ECB) has started posting on the Bluesky platform, a competitor to Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter. The ECB’s move to join Bluesky comes as Musk intensifies his political campaigning in Europe, including urging voters in Germany to support a far-right party. Bluesky is one of several platforms attempting to challenge X’s dominance following Musk’s acquisition of the site.

An ECB spokesperson explained that the central bank aims to diversify its social media presence and had started engaging with several new platforms last year, making Bluesky the latest addition. The ECB’s initial post on Bluesky included an interview with its chief economist, Philip Lane, which was also shared on X. The ECB plans to continue using X alongside its new presence on Bluesky.

Musk’s political influence on X has been controversial, with critics accusing the platform of enabling the spread of misinformation. Recently, Musk hosted the leader of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on X, an interaction that the European Commission has stated it will monitor for disinformation. Musk has also supported Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni.

In contrast, the ECB, under President Christine Lagarde, has focused on issues like gender equality and climate change. Musk, a vocal critic of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, has also been outspoken against climate change efforts, supporting figures like former President Donald Trump, who has labeled climate change a hoax. Musk’s stance on the Federal Reserve has been similarly critical, calling the institution “absurdly overstaffed” and advocating for its dissolution.

Despite Bluesky’s recent growth, with 2.5 million new users added after Trump’s election, it remains much smaller than its competitors. Threads has around 252 million monthly active users, while X has approximately 317 million, according to Sensor Tower data. However, Bluesky has faced challenges with EU regulators, who criticized the platform last year for not providing essential details about its user base in the region.