Fiona Scott Morton is certainly more competent in economy and industrial competition than Mrs. Laurence Boone whose credo is limited to more public expenditure (paid by others) and more fiscal deficit to fight against low growth, high unemployment, high inequality, etc.
This decision to prevent Ms. Morton from working for the Commission is a protectionist one.
This is a classical situation for people who used to work for a foreign government as an adviser. Smart local people don’t think that the adviser will betray the government he is working with, other petty ones, will consider that this foreigner is a spy who will pass on “confidential” information to his government and to foreign enterprises.