DOJ’s antitrust chief to step down

{mosads}He took over the division when Sharis Pozen left for private practice earlier this year. As the acting assistant attorney general for antitrust, he negotiated changes to Verizon’s $3.9 billion deal with the major cable companies.

Wayland, who had been commuting to Washington from New York, did not announce his next career move.

President Obama has chosen William Baer to head the division, but the Senate has yet to vote on the nomination. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted in favor of Baer in September, however Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), the panel’s ranking member, said he opposed Baer but couldn’t state his reasons publicly.

If the Senate doesn’t act by Nov. 16, the department will have to choose a new acting antitrust chief. The top candidates would likely be Leslie Overton and Renata Hesse, deputy assistant attorneys general.