Apple looks to have anti-trust monitor replaced for 'inappropriate declaration'
Anti-trust cases are ugly affairs, but Apple's ongoing struggles with Michael Bromwich -- its court-appointed anti-trust monitor in the ongoing e-books controversy -- has lead the company to ask he be replaced. As we reported last month, the issues stem from what Apple sees as Bromwich's excessive billing and overstepping of the boundaries of his mandate. In response to the complaint filed by Apple last month, Bromwich filed his own declaration, defending his work against the company's charges.
According to Reuters on Tuesday Apple Inc's lawyer asked US District Judge Denise Cote of Manhattan to replace Bromwich as their external compliance monitor, citing what they see as a personal bias against Apple. Their lawyer cites the same issues that popped up in December, including the monitor's US$1,100-an-hour pay rate and aggressive requests to interview executives who had nothing to do with the anti-trust case.
Apple was forced by the court to work with an anti-trust monitor following the July 2013 ruling that the company was guilty of price-fixing in the e-books marketplace.
