AT&T-Time Warner Merger Violates Antitrust Laws, Politics Should Not Have Had Any Role in DOJ Decision

Statement of Michael Copps former FCC Commissioner & Common Cause Special Advisor

On its face the AT&T-Time Warner merger clearly violates of antitrust law and President Trump’s railing against CNN should not have played any role in the Justice Department’s decision to bring suit. We have always maintained that vertical mergers of content and carriage violate well-established and pro-consumer antitrust principles. Blessing AT&T’s monopolistic bid to acquire Time Warner would harm consumers and the public interest. As with any antitrust proceeding, the facts matter and there are ample grounds for DOJ to cite in its opposition. We continue to support challenging this proposed merger for reasons of law – and we hope the DOJ relied exclusively on the law as the basis for its action, as opposed to political score settling.