US may block AT&T, Time Warner merger
washington — The US Department of Justice on Friday moved to prevent AT&T from arguing that politics played a role in the government’s decision to stop its merger with Time Warner, a deal that President Donald Trump had publicly criticised.
“There was no selective enforcement,” Justice Department lawyer Craig Conrath said at a pre-trial hearing. “The president is unhappy with CNN. We don’t dispute that. But AT&T wants to turn that into a getout-jail-free card for their illegal merger.”
AT&T and Time Warner’s lawyer Daniel Petrocelli, however, cited Trump’s repeated criticism of the deal as reason to allow the company to argue that the government opposed the deal for political reasons. It is seeking records of communications between the White House and Justice Department that describe
The president is unhappy with Cnn. We don’t dispute that. but aT&T wants to turn that into a getout-jail-free card for their illegal merger Craig Conrath, Lawyer, US Justice Department
Trump’s views on the merger. AT&T wants the judge to review any communications found to see if they bolster their contention that the transaction was singled out because of Trump’s anger with CNN. The documents were requested as preparation for a March 19 trial in which Judge Richard Leon will decide if the $85 billion deal would raise prices.
The Justice Department sued to stop the deal on the grounds that it is illegal under antitrust law. The government has asked Judge Leon to rule that AT&T may not cite politics, formally known as selective enforcement, as a defence and to quash a request for documents to support that defence. AT&T’s Petrocelli defended the request. “If there is something in those documents, it’s important for us,” he said at the hearing at the US District Court for the District of Columbia. Leon said he would rule on Tuesday.
The deal has been followed more closely than most antitrust matters because Trump attacked it while on the campaign trail in 2016. Trump has also repeatedly criticised Time Warner’s CNN news network and, in November, he reiterated his opposition to the proposed transaction.
Conrath said the government’s lawsuit was not motivated by Trump’s irritation with CNN and said it had offered several settlement options that would have allowed AT&T to acquire CNN.
As recently as November, Trump stood by his criticism of the proposed transaction.
“Personally I’ve always felt that that was a deal that’s not a good deal for the country,” the president said. “I think your pricing’s going to go up, I don’t think it’s a good deal for the country.” —