US: Senators caution DOJ on AT&T & Time Warner

A group of Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), are urging the Justice Department to reject AT&T’s proposed US$85 million acquisition of Time Warner if the government determines that harms outweigh the benefits.

In their letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the senators said that they had concerns that the deal would further consolidate the pay-TV industry, leading to higher prices and less choice. They also say that any conditions put on the deal would be unreliable and unenforceable.

The letter states, “Should you determine that the substantial harms to competition and consumers arising from the transaction outweigh the purported benefits, you should reject the proposed acquisition.”

The letter was also signed by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

Full Content: Variety

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