WASHINGTON-The Senate Judiciary Committee today appeared poised to approve the nomination of R. Hewitt Pate to be chief of the Justice Department’s antitrust division, a key Bush administration post that is expected to be challenged with consolidation in the wireless industry and other high-tech sectors in coming years.
Pate became acting assistant attorney general for antitrust after his predecessor, Charles James, stepped down last November.
Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) criticized James’ tenure at the Justice Department, particularly the government’s antitrust settlement with Microsoft Corp.
