Judiciary Democrats Rebuke DOJ’s Corrupt Settlement of HPE-Juniper Merger and Request Comprehensive Review by the Court

Washington, D.C. (September 9, 2025)—Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust, submitted a public comment to the Department of Justice (DOJ) reiterating their serious concerns regarding the merger of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Juniper Networks, Inc. (Juniper) as the settlement is considered by the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California. Reporting suggests that Trump Administration officials yielded to lobbyists with close ties to the White House and overruled Antitrust Division officials who opposed the settlement, leading to the firing of two senior DOJ antitrust officials. Reporting also suggests that the companies may not have disclosed the involvement of at least one lobbyist with White House ties.

The public comment is the latest push by the Ranking Members for answers regarding the HPE-Juniper merger. On August 1, 2025, the Ranking Members sent a letter demanding Attorney General Pam Bondi provide documents and information regarding HPE’s acquisition of Juniper.

“On August 1, 2025, we wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi to express our serious concerns regarding the proposed Final Judgment in the matter of United States of America v. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. and Juniper Networks, Inc. This settlement, which would allow the $14 billion merger of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Juniper Networks, Inc. (Juniper) to move forward, represents an abrupt reversal of the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) recent decision to oppose the merger having deemed it would ‘eliminate fierce head-to-head competition between the companies, raise prices, reduce innovation, and diminish choice for scores of American businesses and institution’ in violation of federal antitrust laws,” wrote the Ranking Members. 

In January 2024, HPE announced it had acquired Juniper for $14 billion. HPE and Juniper are the second and third largest firms offering enterprise-grade wireless local area networks (WLAN) to businesses, schools, hospitals, and other networks in the United States. The acquisition would result in two entities that control over 70% of the United States’ enterprise-grade WLAN market, which raises grave antitrust concerns. 

Earlier this year, DOJ’s Antitrust Division initially filed a lawsuit to block the acquisition, arguingthat it would “eliminate fierce head-to-head competition” between the companies, raise prices, reduce innovation, and diminish choice for scores of American businesses and institutions. However, less than two weeks before the trial was scheduled to start, DOJ abruptly reversed course and approved a settlement.

According to reports, DOJ Antitrust Division head Gail Slater opposed the decision to settle, but her recommendation was overridden by senior political appointees at DOJ. Reports also indicate that HPE hired lobbyists Mike Davis and Arthur Schwartz, close allies to the White House, to convince Administration officials outside of the DOJ Antitrust Division to derail the case.

Two senior DOJ officials in the antitrust division were reportedly fired in connection with the case for “insubordination.” One of those fired officials, former Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Roger Alford, has publicly accused senior Administration officials of corruption in connection with HPE and Juniper’s proposed merger. 

The Ranking Members again expressed their concern regarding the companies’ noncompliance with the Tunney Act, which requires parties to disclose to the court all written and oral communications with any employees of the U.S. and is designed to limit lobbyists’ influence over antitrust enforcement. 

The Ranking Members demanded that DOJ provide the Court with documents related to the acquisition, including communications between officials at the White House and the DOJ, and between DOJ and the lobbyists. The Ranking Members also urged the Court to seek communications between DOJ, HPE, and Juniper, and details surrounding the drafting of the settlement agreement.

Click here to read the letter.