The article mentions that the FTC was previously seen as being too close to big business. However, the only other regulatory body that has opposed the acquisition of AB by Microsoft is the UK's CMA, which is led by a person with ties to Sony. In addition, the FTC's arguments in court seemed to be more focused on protecting Sony than on protecting consumers.
The EU is generally very critical of market dominance by large companies, but it has approved the acquisition of AB. This suggests that not all regulatory bodies are puppets of big business.
The FTC has been criticized for being too focused on preventing large acquisitions and not doing enough to protect consumers. As a result, the FTC has been seen as being on the side of Sony, which is the dominant player in the high-end gaming market.