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12 states sue to block Paramount-Warner Bros $111bn merger
The lawsuit filed Monday seeks a possible temporary pause, with a Friday hearing deciding whether the deal is halted while the case proceeds.
Attorneys general from 12 states filed suit to block the planned $111 billion merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery, arguing it violates federal antitrust law and would reduce competition in film and cable television, according to the Guardian Business.
The case, filed on Monday, heads to a crucial hearing on Friday that will determine whether a judge temporarily pauses the transaction or allows it to continue toward approval.
The merger had already been approved by the U.S. Department of Justice in June. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is leading the effort, said he was optimistic about their chances in court and argued the complaint provides clear, data driven claims courts have historically found sufficient for presumptive illegality under the Clayton Act.
Bonta also said he was disappointed that no Republican attorneys general joined the suit, though he noted he has previously formed a bipartisan coalition that temporarily blocked a separate television industry merger between Nexstar and Tegna. Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown said his office was surprised by the number of constituents who contacted him in opposition to the deal.