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State Attorneys General

All articles tagged with #state attorneys general

business14 days ago•19 min saved

Paramount Chief Slams States’ Antitrust Clash Over WBD Merger as Costly Delay

Paramount CEO David Ellison denounces the 12-state attorneys general’s antitrust suit against the Warner Bros. Discovery merger as imposing needless costs, urging a settlement while noting concessions have been offered. Mexico has approved the deal, but a two-week trial is now slated to begin March 2, 2027, with a ticking-fee potentially reaching $7 million per day and the combined company carrying about $80 billion in debt.

via deadline.com|

#antitrust #business #david-ellison

technology17 days ago•6 min saved

9th Circuit Keeps Meta’s $1.4T Lawsuit On Track Over Section 230

The 9th Circuit ruled that Section 230 provides a defense to liability, not immunity from suit, allowing the massive state-led consumer-protection case against Meta (and co-defendant TikTok) to proceed to trial; jury selection begins Aug 12 and the trial starts Aug 19, with potential damages cited by the states exceeding $1.4 trillion.

via Ars Technica|

#consumer-protection #meta #section-230

business1 month ago•7 min saved

Paramount-Skydance Warner Bros. Deal Hits Prolonged Antitrust Hurdles

Paramount Skydance's $111‑billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery has stalled amid a multistate antitrust lawsuit that argues the merger would curb competition in theaters and cable, prompting a delay likely into 2027, mounting legal costs and uncertainty over the fate of assets like CNN under Ellison control.

via Los Angeles Times|

#antitrust #business #merger-delay

business1 month ago•21 min saved

Antitrust Stakes Rise as States Challenge Paramount-WBD Megamerger

Twelve state attorneys general have sued to block Paramount’s planned merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, arguing the deal would lessen competition in basic cable, tentpole theatrical releases, and wide-release distribution. A temporary restraining order keeps the merger on pause through Aug. 17, with a preliminary injunction hearing scheduled for Aug. 3. Paramount dismisses the suit as weak and maintains the merger is pro-competitive and necessary to compete with streaming giants, while regulatory wins abroad bolster its stance. The case unfolds amid other related lawsuits and a potential settlement that would likely involve structural remedies; the merger agreement could expire in March 2027 without a timely close.

via Variety|

#antitrust #business #paramount-warner-bros-merger

business1 month ago•376 min saved

Hollywood’s mega-merger stalls as AGs launch antitrust challenge

The Paramount-Warner Bros. deal, once billed as a historic Hollywood consolidation, is on hold after a group of state attorneys general filed a serious antitrust challenge, delaying the transaction as regulators decide whether to approve, require concessions, or block it—potentially reshaping the competitive landscape for studios and streaming.

via NBC News|

#antitrust #business #merger

business1 month ago•16 min saved

Paramount+ Subscribers Fail to Block Warner Bros. Merger as States Prepare Next Move

A small group of Paramount+ subscribers failed to obtain a preliminary injunction blocking the $111 billion Warner Bros. Discovery merger during a hearing, with the judge questioning the plaintiffs’ standing and evidence. A coalition of 12 state attorneys general plans to seek a temporary restraining order on Friday to pause the deal, arguing it would harm competition in theaters and basic cable. Paramount opposes the private suit and has moved to dismiss, while related actions from the Writers Guild and shareholders add to the legal challenges surrounding the merger.

via Variety|

#antitrust #business #merger

business1 month ago•14 min saved

Court to Hear Emergency Bid to Freeze Paramount-WBD Merger

A federal court will hear an emergency motion by about a dozen state attorneys general to temporarily pause Paramount’s merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. Judge P. Casey Pitts set a Friday 10 a.m. PT hearing on a TRO, with Paramount’s opposition due by noon Thursday; the states seek a ruling by July 22, timing that coincides with EU review, even though the DOJ has already cleared the deal.

via Deadline|

#antitrust #business #emergency-motion

business1 month ago•17 min saved

States Seek Court Pause on Paramount-WBD Deal Amid Antitrust Pressure

State attorneys general filed in a Sacramento federal court for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to pause Paramount’s proposed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, arguing the deal would raise competition concerns and could close by July 22, potentially harming three antitrust markets; they cite irreparable harm and outside-date ticking fees, while Paramount calls the challenge a flawed reading of antitrust law and says delaying the deal would hurt entertainment workers.

via Deadline|

#antitrust #business #merger

business1 month ago•21 min saved

Attorneys General Sue To Block Paramount-WBD Merger On Antitrust Grounds

A dozen state attorneys general, led by California AG Rob Bonta, filed a federal lawsuit in Sacramento to block Paramount’s $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, arguing the deal would stifle competition in wide-release film distribution, big-budget production, and basic cable channels, potentially raising prices for theaters, distributors, and consumers. They contend Paramount-WB would control a outsized share of box office and cable assets, giving the merged company excessive bargaining power, while Paramount argues the merger would boost competition against streams and pledges to release at least 30 theatrical films annually. A possible injunction could pause the deal as litigation unfolds.

via Deadline|

#antitrust #business #california

business1 month ago•321 min saved

States Prepare Antitrust Push Against Paramount-WBD Merger

State attorneys general are finalizing a multistate antitrust lawsuit to challenge Paramount’s planned takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, a filing expected next week that could derail Paramount’s timetable to take control of WBD despite the Justice Department’s clearance. The effort, which mirrors other state-level challenges to major deals after federal review, comes as California’s AG and others scrutinize the deal, Oregon pursues subpoenas, and Paramount says regulators around the world have already approved the transaction and will be defended in court.

via CNN|

#antitrust #business #merger

politics1 month ago•3 min saved

DOJ urges states to probe oil firms over gas-price spikes

The Justice Department asked state attorneys general to use all available state tools to investigate and prosecute any misconduct that may be contributing to high gasoline prices, signaling potential federal action if wrongdoing is found. The push follows earlier price spikes tied to Middle East tensions and oil-market volatility, with prices easing recently; no specific companies were named in the request.

via Politico|

#doj #energy-policy #gas-prices

business2 months ago•23 min saved

State AGs Expand Paramount-WBD Merger Fight Beyond Antitrust

Even after the DOJ approved Paramount’s $111 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, California’s Rob Bonta and a coalition of state AGs are preparing to challenge the deal or scrutinize it more closely, signaling a broader battle that weighs political optics, potential Hollywood job impacts, and regulatory timing (including UK reviews and ticking-fee deadlines) alongside competition concerns. The story also highlights the election-year context in California and New York politics and notes Paramount’s pushback framing the merger as pro-competitive while opponents argue it could upend the industry and local economies.

via Deadline|

#antitrust #business #doj-approval

business4 months ago•16 min saved

States Seal Landmark Antitrust Victory Over Live Nation

A coalition of more than 30 state attorneys general won a landmark monopolization case against Live Nation (Ticketmaster); the DOJ initially led the case but withdrew in March, and the Manhattan trial proceeded on short notice with the states prevailing. The author, Gail Slater, recounts the extensive discovery and testimony, including Slack messages that suggested price gouging, as central to the victory. She frames the win as a common-sense, bipartisan application of antitrust law that protects consumers and markets, and credits the DOJ team for laying the foundation. The piece argues this outcome shows Americans’ intuitive grasp of fair competition and calls for continued antitrust enforcement to keep capitalism fair.

via Rolling Stone|

#antitrust #business #consumers

business5 months ago•3 min saved

Eight states move to block Nexstar-Tegna $6.2B media merger

Eight states led by California and New York filed a federal antitrust lawsuit in the Eastern District of California to block Nexstar’s $6.2 billion takeover of Tegna, arguing the deal would lessen competition in local TV markets and harm consumers by reducing voices and potentially raising prices. The merger would combine hundreds of TV stations under one owner and would reach about 60% of U.S. households, well over the current 39% cap that would require regulatory changes. The states contended the deal would hurt local journalism in markets like Sacramento, San Diego, and Buffalo. The FCC has signaled support for the deal but has not decided whether to change ownership rules; Nexstar and Tegna had not commented at press time. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California and adds to a broader regulatory scrutiny of media consolidation.

via NBC News|

#antitrust #business #merger

policy5 months ago•7 min saved

Coalition of 24 States Moves to Block Trump's Global 10% Tariff

A coalition of 24 Democratic state attorneys general and governors filed suit in the U.S. Court of International Trade to block President Trump's new 10% global tariff for 150 days, arguing it is unconstitutional and violates the law; they seek an injunction and refunds, building on the Supreme Court’s ruling that Trump exceeded authority under the IEEPA and highlighting questions about Section 122 and exemptions.

via Politico|

#lawsuit #policy #state-attorneys-general