Apple Inc.’s court-appointed antitrust monitor, Michael Bromwich, wrote in a recent report that his relationship with the company has improved. But Apple still wants him gone, as the tech giant made abundantly clear on Thursday in its opening appellate brief seeking Bromwich’s removal.
Apple’s lawyers at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to reverse portions of the final judgment in the e-books price-fixing litigation that led to Bromwich’s appointment. For the most part, Apple reiterated familiar arguments, asserting that Bromwich’s appointment was unconstitutional and unprecedented. But Apple also took aim at Bromwich for charging rates for his work that are “far outside the bounds” of what should be permitted, complaining that he billed the company more than $1 million for less than six months of work—including charges for time spent “collaborating” with class action antitrust plaintiffs.
