Advocacy groups are urging an investigation into Kent Walker, Google’s president of global affairs, alleging that he advised the company to destroy records relevant to ongoing federal trials.

The American Economic Liberties Project, Check My Ads, and the Tech Oversight Project have requested that the State Bar of California consider disciplinary action against Walker.

The call for action follows the disclosure of a 2008 memo from Walker.

The memo reportedly instructed employees to modify chat message retention policies. This memo became a focal point in the US Department of Justice’s antitrust trial against Google, implying an effort toward increased secrecy.

Google claims the memo is outdated and irrelevant to its current document retention practices. The company maintains compliance with legal obligations, asserting it has produced millions of documents required in recent DOJ cases.

Judges in these cases have recognized the issue but have not imposed severe penalties on Google. The advocacy groups argue that Walker’s actions violate ethical standards, urging the Bar for prompt disciplinary action.