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UNITED STATES – FEBRUARY 28: Rep. Lou Correa, D-Calif., walks down the House steps after the last votes of the week on Friday, Feb. 28, 2020.

Bill Clark | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images

The chief of staff to the new top Democrat on the House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust lobbied on behalf of Amazon and Apple as recently as 2022, including on the very issues the ranking member will oversee in his new role, CNBC found based on public disclosures.

The background of California Democrat Lou Correa’s top staffer is likely to further upset progressives who supported efforts to reform the rules of the road around digital competition. René Muñoz has served as chief of staff to Correa since November 2022, according to Congress-tracking site LegiStorm.

Before that, Muñoz worked at the lobbying firm Federal Street Strategies beginning in May 2020, according to LinkedIn, where his clients included Amazon and Apple, along with other corporations. Earlier, he worked for other Democratic representatives in Congress.

In 2019, when the Democrats were in the majority, Cicilline spearheaded a major investigation into the competition practices of Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook, and hauled their CEOs before Congress before introducing a package of bills to limit their power. Correa voted against the legislation.

Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., later became the top Republican on the subcommittee and was a significant ally to Cicilline in championing the tech antitrust bills. However, once Republicans took control of the House, he was passed over to lead the committee in favor of libertarian Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.

The tech industry is likely to cheer the shift from antitrust reform advocates like Cicilline and Buck as a reprieve from years of fighting against bills they saw as overly broad or having undue consequences on consumer privacy.

Demand Progress Communications Director Maria Langholz called Correa’s elevation to the role “a profound disappointment,” in a statement after his selection was announced, citing his opposition to a package of tech antitrust bills championed by former subcommittee Chair David Cicilline, D-R.I., who recently left Congress and vacated the spot.

Langholz added that it’s “embarrassing that House Democrats failed to step up and fill the void that was left by Rep. Cicilline’s departure from the subcommittee.”

“The Congressman’s Chief of Staff has spent nearly two decades in public service, most of which being spent in the halls of Congress,” a Correa spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC on which Muñoz was copied.

“He’s fought tirelessly to serve elected representatives from every corner of the country in their missions to uplift their constituents, and better the lives of every working family. It’s because of that unwavering commitment and history of service that Congressman Correa brought him aboard his team —to work by his side in his fight for the hard-working taxpayers he represents right here in Orange County.”

What Muñoz lobbied on

Public lobbying disclosures show that as recently as 2022, Muñoz lobbied Congress on the very issue areas which Correa is now overseeing.

Correa’s ability to influence the agenda while in the minority is limited, but ranking members can often serve an important role in pushing back on the majority or in messaging to industry and agencies. Some fear that should the Democrats take back the House, it will now be harder to replace Correa with a more reform-minded Democrat.

The disclosures do not indicate which specific bills Muñoz lobbied on. However, in filings across multiple quarters, he is listed as one of three lobbyists for Federal Street Strategies who worked on issue areas related to several of the bills that passed through the House Judiciary Committee while Cicilline led the antitrust subcommittee.

For example, in the second and third quarters of 2021, Muñoz is listed as one of three lobbyists who engaged with Congress on behalf of Apple in issue areas related to the six bills that made up Cicilline’s cornerstone package on tech antitrust. That includes the period right around the time that package passed through the House Judiciary Committee in June 2021.

Lobbying disclosures by Federal Street indicate that Muñoz was similarly one of three lobbyists who engaged on behalf of Amazon on issue areas related to those bills during the same period.

Among the bills in the package were the Ending Platform Monopolies Act, which could lead to a breakup of dominant online platforms by prohibiting them from owning business lines that present a conflict of interest. They also included the American Choice and Innovation Online Act, which would prohibit top platforms from favoring their own products over rivals’ in their marketplaces or discriminating against competitors. It was the precursor to a Senate version of the bill that gained steam last year by passing out of the Judiciary Committee in that chamber. But it ultimately failed to reach the floor after significant tech lobbying.

Again, it’s unclear from the filing which exact bills Muñoz lobbied on.

The tech industry and its trade groups have spent millions on lobbying, including against antitrust bills that would restrict key elements of their business models. Apple notably ramped up its overall lobbying spending in 2022, reaching $9.4 million, a 44% increase compared to the prior year. Its fourth quarter filing showed it lobbied on antitrust bills as well as online privacy issues, taxes, semiconductor policy and more.

Amazon spent the most of the tech giants in 2022, coming in at $19.7 million for the year. Amazon also lobbied on tech antitrust as well as issues around cloud computing and counterfeit goods.

WATCH: Here’s how the lobbying industry works

How lobbying became a $3.5 billion industry

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23andMe bankruptcy under congressional investigation for customer data

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23andMe bankruptcy under congressional investigation for customer data

Signage at 23andMe headquarters in Sunnyvale, California, U.S., on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021.

David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce is investigating 23andMe‘s decision to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and has expressed concern that its sensitive genetic data is “at risk of being compromised,” CNBC has learned.

Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., and Rep. Gary Palmer, R.-Ala., sent a letter to 23andMe’s interim CEO Joe Selsavage on Thursday requesting answers to a series of questions about its data and privacy practices by May 1.

The congressmen are the latest government officials to raise concerns about 23andMe’s commitment to data security, as the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Federal Trade Commission have sent the company similar letters in recent weeks.

23andMe exploded into the mainstream with its at-home DNA testing kits that gave customers insight into their family histories and genetic profiles. The company was once valued at a peak of $6 billion, but has since struggled to generate recurring revenue and establish a lucrative research and therapeutics businesses.

After filing for bankruptcy in in Missouri federal court in March, 23andMe’s assets, including its vast genetic database, are up for sale.

“With the lack of a federal comprehensive data privacy and security law, we write to express our great concern about the safety of Americans’ most sensitive personal information,” Guthrie, Bilirakis and Palmer wrote in the letter.

23andMe did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

More CNBC health coverage

23andMe has been inundated with privacy concerns in recent years after hackers accessed the information of nearly 7 million customers in 2023. 

DNA data is particularly sensitive because each person’s sequence is unique, meaning it can never be fully anonymized, according to the National Human Genome Research Institute. If genetic data falls into the hands of bad actors, it could be used to facilitate identity theft, insurance fraud and other crimes.

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has jurisdiction over issues involving data privacy. Guthrie serves as the chairman of the committee, Palmer serves as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and Bilirakis serves as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade.

The congressmen said that while Americans’ health information is protected under legislation like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, direct-to-consumer companies like 23andMe are typically not covered under that law. They said they feel “great concern” about the safety of the company’s customer data, especially given the uncertainty around the sale process.

23andMe has repeatedly said it will not change how it manages or protects consumer data throughout the transaction. Similarly, in a March release, the company said all potential buyers must agree to comply with its privacy policy and applicable law. 

“To constitute a qualified bid, potential buyers must, among other requirements, agree to comply with 23andMe’s consumer privacy policy and all applicable laws with respect to the treatment of customer data,” 23andMe said in the release.

23andMe customers can still delete their account and accompanying data through the company’s website. But Guthrie, Bilirakis and Palmer said there are reports that some users have had trouble doing so.

“Regardless of whether the company changes ownership, we want to ensure that customer access and deletion requests are being honored by 23andMe,” the congressmen wrote.

WATCH: The rise and fall of 23andMe

The rise and fall of 23andMe

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TSMC denies it’s talking to Intel about chipmaking joint venture

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TSMC denies it's talking to Intel about chipmaking joint venture

A motorcycle is seen near a building of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which is a Taiwanese multinational semiconductor contract manufacturing and design company, in Hsinchu, Taiwan, on April 16, 2025.

Daniel Ceng | Anadolu | Getty Images

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company denied reports that the semiconductor giant was in active discussions with Intel regarding a chipmaking joint venture.

“TSMC is not engaged in any discussion with other companies regarding any joint venture, technology licensing or technology,” CEO C.C. Wei said on the company’s first-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, dispelling rumors about a collaboration with Intel.

Intel and TSMC were said to have been looking to form a JV as recently as this month. On April 3, The Information reported that the two firms discussed a preliminary agreement to form a tie-up to operate Intel’s chip factories with TSMC owning a 21% stake.

Intel was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC on Wei’s comments on Thursday. The company previously said it doesn’t comment on rumors, when asked by CNBC about the reported discussions.

Once the dominant chipmaker in the U.S., Intel has faced numerous challenges in recent years, losing ground to players like Nvidia, AMD, Qualcomm and Apple. Last year, Intel suffered its worst ever performance as a public company, with shares shedding 61% of their value.

TSMC’s denial of tie-up talks with Intel comes as President Donald Trump is pushing to address global trade imbalances and reshore manufacturing in the U.S. through tariffs. The Department of Commerce recently kicked off an investigation into semiconductor imports — a move that could result in new tariffs for the chip industry.

TSMC reported a profit beat for the first quarter thanks to a continued surge in demand for AI chips. However, the company contends with potential headwinds from Trump’s tariffs — which target Taiwan — and stricter export controls on TSMC clients Nvidia and AMD.

– CNBC’s Dylan Butts contributed to this report

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TSMC first-quarter profit tops estimates, rising 60%, but Trump trade policy threatens growth

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TSMC first-quarter profit tops estimates, rising 60%, but Trump trade policy threatens growth

A motorcycle is seen near a building of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which is a Taiwanese multinational semiconductor contract manufacturing and design company, in Hsinchu, Taiwan, on April 16, 2025.

Daniel Ceng | Anadolu | Getty Images

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company on Thursday beat profit expectations for the first quarter, thanks to a continued surge in demand for AI chips.

Here are TSMC’s first-quarter results versus LSEG consensus estimates:

  • Revenue: $839.25 billion New Taiwan dollars, vs. NT$835.13 billion expected
  • Net income: NT$361.56 billion, vs. NT$354.14 billion 

TSMC’s reported net income increased 60.3% from a year ago to NT$361.56 billion, while net revenue in the March quarter rose 41.6% from a year earlier to NT$839.25 billion.

The world’s largest contract chip manufacturer has benefited from the AI boom as it produces advanced processors for clients such American chip designer Nvidia.

However, the company faces headwinds from the trade policy of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has placed broad trade tariffs on Taiwan and stricter export controls on TSMC clients Nvidia and AMD.

Semiconductor export controls could also be expanded next month under the “AI diffusion rules” first proposed by the Biden administration, further restricting the sales of chipmakers that use TSMC foundries.

Taiwan currently faces a blanket 10% tariff from the Trump administration and that could rise to 32% after the President’s 90-day pause of his “reciprocal tariffs” ends unless it reaches a deal with the U.S.

As part of efforts to diversify its supply chains, TSMC has been investing billions in overseas facilities, though the lion’s share of its manufacturing remains in Taiwan.

In an apparent response to Trump’s trade policy, TSMC last month announced plans to invest an additional $100 billion in the U.S. on top of the $65 billion it has committed to three plants in the U.S.

On Monday, AMD said it would soon manufacture processor chips at one of the new Arizona-based TSMC facilities, marking the first time that its chips will be manufactured in the U.S.

The same day, Nvidia announced that it has already started production of its Blackwell chips at TSMC’s Arizona plants. It plans to produce up to half a trillion dollars of AI infrastructure in the U.S. over the next four years through partners, including TSMC.

Taiwan-listed shares of TSMC were down about 0.4%. Shares have lost about 20% so far this year.

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