A federal appeals court rejected Apple’s application today to disqualify an appointed antitrust compliance monitor. Michael Bromwich, a lawyer, was appointed in October 2013 after Apple was found liable in July of that year for conspiring to raise the prices of e-books along with publishers. U.S. District Judge Denise Cote found Apple had played a major role in the conspiracy, a suit that had been brought against the tech company and publishers by over 30 states along with the United States government. According to a report by the Toronto Sun, Apple accused Bromwich of charging excessive fees, demanding interviews with Apple execs, too aggressive when looking at Apple’s business practices, and improperly collaborating with the plaintiffs.
Appeals court Circuit Judge Dennis Jacobs turned down the application, but said that some of the allegations “give pause” but went on to say that “we cannot say that the district court abused its discretion” when finding that those accusations didn’t call for Bromwich’s disqualification.
