US Department of Justice appeals AT & T's acquisition of Time Warner



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The US Department of Justice said Thursday that it would appeal to a federal judge to approve the acquisition of Time Warner by 85% AT & T Inc., raising hope barely a month after the conclusion of the agreement that it could be canceled. the Department of Justice for antitrust reasons, saying that the agreement would harm consumers, but got approval last month of US District Judge Richard Leon to go ahead with the # After a long trial. The merger, announced for the first time in October 2016, was also challenged by President Donald Trump

Leon ruled that the merger between AT & T's wireless and satellite activities with movies and broadcasts Time Warner's television was legal under antitrust laws. continues advertising below

AT & T's general counsel, David McAtee, said the company was "surprised" by the Department of Justice. "We are ready to defend the Court's decision in the District Court of Columbia District Circuit," McAtee said in a statement. "The court's decision could hardly have been more thorough, fact-based and well-reasoned."

A spokesman for the Department of Justice declined to comment.

AT & T shares fell 1% after the bell. In June, the ministry chose not to seek the immediate suspension of the court's approval of the merger, which allowed for the closure of June 14, although the Justice Department still has 60 days to appeal. call of the merger. The notice of appeal filed by the government in the US District Court in Washington did not specify why he intended to challenge the approval.

Leon urged the Department of Justice not to suspend his decision. plainly unfair "to do so and not likely to succeed.In his decision approving the merger, he stated that the government had not demonstrated any competitive harm.

AT & T told the Department of Justice in a letter from June 14 that he would manage Turner's networks as part of a separate business unit.February 1965 or up to a call from the government.

AT & T also stated that In the short term, it would have no role in Turner pricing and the number of Turner employees and the target pay and benefits would remain largely unchanged.It would implement a firewall between Turner and AT & T to prevent the exchange of sensitive information from programmers or unaffiliated distributors.

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In 2016, the Department of Justice had asked AT & T Turner networks, which include CNN, as part of the approval of the merger.

Cases approved by a federal judge have been quashed on appeal in the past.

In 2001, H.J. Heinz Co canceled its acquisition of Beech-Nut after a court of appeal overturned the decision of a lower court to authorize the merger. The Federal Trade Commission had argued that the agreement would have merged baby food manufacturers # 2 and # 3 and that competition would be "significantly reduced" in the US baby food market of 800 millions of dollars a year. before.

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