Mary Laurie Azcuenaga | |
---|---|
Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission | |
In office November 27, 1984 –June 3, 1998 | |
President | Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush Bill Clinton |
Preceded by | Michael Pertschuk |
Succeeded by | Thomas B. Leary |
Personal details | |
Born | Council,Idaho | July 25,1945
Political party | Independent |
Education | Stanford University (A.B.) University of Chicago Law School (J.D.) |
Mary Laurie Azcuenaga [1] (born July 25,1945) is an American attorney who served from 1984 to 1998 as a member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). [2] As of 2017,Azcuenaga is one of just three political independents to serve on the FTC. [3]
Born to a family of Basque-American descent, [4] Azcuenaga was born on July 25,1945,in Council,Idaho. Azcuenaga received her undergraduate degree from Stanford University,graduating with a bachelor's degree (A.B.) in 1967.
In 1973,she graduated from the University of Chicago Law School with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. Azcuenaga began her career within the Federal Trade Commission (FTC),joining the agency as an assistant to the General Counsel in 1975. [5]
Azcuenaga remained in various legal roles within the FTC until 1984,when she was appointed to serve as a commissioner by President Ronald Reagan. [3] Azcuenaga was sworn into the body on November 27,1984,to a term ending on September 25,1991, [6] replacing former commissioner Michael Pertschuk. [7]
The Washington Post reported on her nomination by noting that as a political independent,she was seen as less conservative than the FTC's two Republican appointees. Additionally,it was noted that Azcuenaga was seen as a strong nominee owing to her being a woman of Hispanic background. However,the article noted that Azcuenaga "doesn't believe in using the Hispanic label for political advantage",with Azcuenaga herself stating "I've been told I count as a Hispanic... I'm proud of my Basque heritage." [8]
In 1991,she was re-appointed to a second term in office by President George H. W. Bush in 1991. Azcuenaga remained on the FTC until June 3,1998,when she chose to resign months before her second term was set to expire. [9] During her tenure,Azcuenaga joined a majority in opposition to taking action against cigarette brand Camel over its "Joe Camel" cartoon mascot. In a joint statement,Azcuenaga argued:
"Although it may seem intuitive to some that the Joe Camel advertising campaign would lead more children to smoke,or lead children to smoke more,the evidence to support that intuition is not there." [10]
Azcuenaga was replaced on the FTC in 1999 by antitrust attorney Thomas B. Leary,a member of the Republican Party. [11] As of 2017,Azcuenaga is one of just three independents to have served on the FTC,along with Philip Elman (who served from 1961 to 1970) and Pamela Jones Harbour (who served from 2003 to 2009). [3]
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction over federal civil antitrust law enforcement with the Department of Justice Antitrust Division. The agency is headquartered in the Federal Trade Commission Building in Washington,DC.
Joe Camel was an advertising mascot used by the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) for their cigarette brand Camel. The character was created in 1974 for a French advertising campaign,and was redesigned for the American market in 1988. He appeared in magazine advertisements,clothing,and billboards among other print media and merchandise.
Michael Pertschuk was an American attorney and advocate for consumer protection and public health. He served as a member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from 1977 to 1984,and served as FTC Chair from 1977 to 1981. During his tenure,Pertschuk worked to strengthen the FTC's consumer protection powers.
Christine A. Varney is an American antitrust attorney who served as the U.S. assistant attorney general of the Antitrust Division for the Obama Administration and as a Federal Trade commissioner in the Clinton Administration. Since August 2011,Varney has been a partner of the New York law firm Cravath,Swaine &Moore,where she chairs the antitrust department.
Jonathan David Leibowitz is an American attorney who served under President Barack Obama as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from 2009 to 2013. Leibowitz was appointed to the commission in 2004,and resigned in 2013. During Leibowitz's tenure,the FTC brought privacy cases against Google,Facebook and others for violating consumer privacy,as well as enforcement against "pay-for-delay" deals in which pharmaceutical companies paid competitors to stay out of the market. Prior to joining the FTC,Leibowitz was Vice President for Congressional Affairs from 2000 to 2004 of the MPAA.
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Paul Rand Dixon was an American attorney and decorated World War II veteran. Dixon was a member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC),serving on the body from 1961 to 1981. Additionally,he served as the agency's chair from 1961 to 1969 and again briefly in 1976.
Pamela LeDeyce Jones Harbour is an American lawyer who served as a member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from 2003 to 2009. As of 2021,Harbour is one of just three African-Americans to have served as a member of the FTC. Additionally,she is one of the just three political independents to serve on the body as of 2017.
Philip Elman was an American lawyer at the United States Department of Justice and former member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Elman is best known for writing the government's brief in Brown v. Board of Education. Elman is also notable for being one of just three political independents to have ever served on the FTC.
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Maureen Kraemer Ohlhausen is an American lawyer who is a former Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission,a position she held from April 4,2012,to September 25,2018. On January 26,2017,President Donald Trump designated Ohlhausen to serve as Acting Chairwoman of the FTC. In January 2018,she was nominated by President Trump to a seat on the United States Court of Federal Claims. Ohlhausen withdrew her nomination for the federal judiciary in December 2018,opting instead to join Baker Botts as partner and co-chair of the firm's antitrust practice.
Lina M. Khan is a British-born American legal scholar serving as chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) since 2021. She is also an associate professor of law at Columbia Law School.
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Sheila Foster Anthony is an American attorney and former government official. From 1997 to 2002,she served as a member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Thomas Barrett Leary was an American attorney who served as a member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from November 17,1999 until his resignation from the body December 31,2005.
Dennis Alden Yao is an American academic who served as a member of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from 1991 to 1994. A member of the Democratic Party,Yao was the first Asian American to serve on the FTC and the third career economist to serve on the body,which has generally been composed of attorneys. Yao is currently the Lawrence E. Fouraker Professor of Business Administration and Chair of the Doctoral Programs at Harvard Business School.
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