Two of the GOP’s top Big Tech critics have sought to work with Google

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Two of GOP Big Tech’s fiercest critics sought to work with Google in 2019, Politico reports. Mike Davis and Garrett Ventry have reportedly offered to mend the company’s relationship with the Tories. Google has faced allegations of anti-conservative bias from a number of GOP lawmakers. Loading Something is loading.

Two of the GOP’s most vocal tech critics have reportedly sought to work with Google in 2019, offering to improve the company’s relations with Republicans.

Mike Davis is the founder of the Internet Accountability Project, which calls on lawmakers to “get the big tech under control before it’s too late”. In his role at IAP, Davis regularly attacks online “big tech monopolies”, recently calling for the disbandment of Google, Amazon and Facebook. He previously oversaw the appointments of federal judges and White House appointees under the Trump administration.

Garrett Ventry is currently working as chief of staff to Representative Ken Buck, who has been dubbed the “New Face of Republican Antitrust.” Ventry regularly shares articles detailing his boss’s plans to take on tech giants, and recently tweeted a quote from a New York Post article suggesting that big tech companies “were getting away with murder.”

While the pair have since become much more vocal in their criticism of big tech companies, Politico reports that the couple privately sought a deal with Google in 2019, offering to improve their image with Republicans.

Citing three anonymous sources, Politico reported that Davis and Ventry offered to help Google “fix its relationship with the Tories” during a meeting in May 2019.

Mike Davis founded the Internet Accountability Project in 2019. Getty Images / Tom Williams / CQ Roll Call

At the time, prominent Republican lawmakers such as Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley and President Trump accused Google of maintaining an anti-conservative bias on its platform, stifling free speech. Trump went so far as to tweet broad allegations of bias directly to Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

Just weeks after Davis and Ventry met with Google insiders, the Justice Department announced a major antitrust investigation into the company.

Speaking to Politico, Davis acknowledged that the meeting took place, said Google was just one of many “law firms, lobby stores, corporations and other entities” he met afterwards. having left the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Less than six months after meeting with Google, Davis launched the IPA. A Bloomberg report last year revealed that Google rival Oracle was one of its backers.

“It didn’t go anywhere. And that was before we knew how bad Google really was. Thank goodness I didn’t work with Google,” he said. “I dodged a bullet.” Ventry declined to comment.

Davis also said he had been educated over the months about “how bad” Google was for small businesses and conservatives, according to the report. The couple have also reportedly offered to act as communicators on behalf of Google within the Republican Party.

Insider has contacted Google for comment.

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