If there’s a 4-1 vote among commissioners at the Federal Trade Commission, it’s a good bet that J. Thomas Rosch will be the one standing alone. Over the past five years, the Republican commissioner has staked out independent positions that don’t fit any ideological box — and has seen some of his concerns validated by the courts.
“I’ve really not hesitated to speak up when I disagree,” said Rosch, a former antitrust litigator who was the managing partner of Latham & Watkins’ San Francisco office before he began serving as a commissioner in 2006. “To some extent, it’s because I’m older — I can afford to be much more outspoken.”
