Google has urged the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to dismiss Rumble’s request for the recusal of U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr. from their ongoing antitrust litigation. Rumble contends that Judge Gilliam’s friendship with Cassandra Knight, Google’s Vice President for Legal Matters, presents a conflict of interest. Google, however, argues that this relationship is irrelevant to the appeal and does not warrant disqualification.
Rumble initiated the lawsuit in 2021, alleging that Google violated antitrust laws by favoring its own platform, YouTube, in search results and by preventing Rumble’s preinstallation on Android devices. In May 2025, Judge Gilliam dismissed the case on the grounds that it was filed beyond the statute of limitations. Rumble has since appealed this decision to the Ninth Circuit.
In a recent filing, Google characterized Rumble’s recusal motion as a “cynical maneuver” aimed at bolstering its appeal. The tech giant emphasized that longstanding legal precedent holds that a judge’s friendship with a lawyer involved in a case does not, by itself, necessitate recusal. Google further noted that Knight has had no involvement in the litigation against Rumble.
Knight and Judge Gilliam were classmates at Stanford Law School in the 1990s. Their friendship includes Knight speaking at Gilliam’s investiture in 2014 and Gilliam officiating at Knight’s wedding. Despite these connections, Knight stated in a declaration that she supervises a large legal team at Google but has not directed or assisted in the company’s defense in the Rumble lawsuit.
Rumble’s motion for recusal was prompted by a Stanford Law School alumni magazine article that highlighted the friendship between Judge Gilliam and Knight. Rumble argues that this relationship could create an appearance of bias, warranting the judge’s recusal from the case.
The case, titled Rumble Inc. v. Google LLC, is currently under appeal in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The outcome of this appeal could have significant implications for antitrust litigation involving major technology companies.
As of November 24, 2025, Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) shares are trading at $317.11, reflecting a 5.82% increase from the previous close. The company’s market capitalization stands at approximately $2.94 trillion.