On the recordDecember 30, 2012
I thank the Chair. In a short while the Senate will vote on two nominees for service in the executive branch of our government. I rise today to speak in support of one of those two, which is William Baer, who has been nominated to serve as Assistant Attorney General managing the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. I happen to have come to know Bill Baer personally because he practices law in a firm with a very good friend and neighbor of mine here in Washington, and in that regard I can certainly testify to the fact that he is an honorable, interesting, enjoyable person. But that alone doesn't qualify him to hold this high office. He has extraordinary experience. I would say he is very widely acknowledged as one of the best antitrust lawyers in our country. I would say this nomination is really a merit selection nomination. I will get to that in a minute. Bill Baer graduated from Lawrence University and the School of Law at Stanford University. He has served with distinction throughout his career, earning accolades such as recognition as the Washington, DC, Antitrust Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers, as well as one of the decade's most influential lawyers by the National Law Journal.…
