By Michael Farrell, Broadcasting & Cable Online, 8-6-18
The U.S. Department of Justice has given a heads up on its plans to appeal the June U.S. District Court decision that paved the way for completion of AT&T’s $108.7 billion merger with Time Warner, claiming in a court filing that the presiding judge in that case ignored “fundamental principles of economics and common sense” in approving the deal.
U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon ruled on June 12, after a six-week trial that the government had failed to prove its case that the merger would not be in the public interest.
AT&T completed its merger with Time Warner two days later, on June 14, but agreed to hold the Turner assets, including CNN, TNT and TBS, separately until Feb. 28, 2019, in case the Justice Department decided to launch an appeal.
Leon had urged the government not to appeal his decision, but on July 12, Justice said it would seek to have his ruling overturned. » Read More