Antitrust Chief Steps Down

Charles James, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's antitrust division, will step down from his position to pursue an opportunity in the private sector, the department announced Thursday.

The James announcement came as the antitrust division and the Federal Communications Commission continued their inquiries into two big mergers taking place in the multichannel business: The deal to combine EchoStar and DirecTV and the transaction involving AT&T's cable unit and Comcast.

James, confirmed by the Senate in June 2001, will become vice president and general counsel at Chevron Texaco. He is set to start his new job later this year, yet the Justice Department offered no exact date for his departure from the antitrust division. Sources reported that James is expected to leave at the end of November.

The Justice Department's antitrust division is reportedly near a decision on the pending merger between EchoStar and DirecTV, though DOJ officials have declined to comment on whether that decision is imminent. And there is no indication as to whether James' exit from the DOJ could mean review of the DBS merger is near completion. Both the companies and opponents of the DBS merger have said regulators continue to collect information on the proposed transaction.

Last month, the deadline for the antitrust division to finish its review of the AT&T/Comcast merger expired, but both sides said they continue to work together on the review process.

From SkyReport (Used with Permission)