Bush names new FTC chairman

A former Justice Department antitrust prosecutor is next in line to head the Federal Trade Commission, the agency responsible for enforcing laws against spam and online fraud. Deborah Majoras, currently an attorney at the Jones Day law firm in Washington, D.C., has been nominated by President Bush to be the next FTC chairman. Majoras, who argued the U.S. v. Microsoft case before a federal appeals court, must be confirmed by the Senate.

FTC Chairman Tim Muris said in a brief statement Tuesday that he plans to leave by the end of the summer. Muris previously was a law professor at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. During Muris' tenure, the FTC became more active against Internet fraud and adware, in addition to investigating Microsoft's Passport authentication system and targeting state governments that levy protectionist barriers to electronic commerce.