Democratic Sens Urge AG Sessions to Reject AT&T-Time Warner Merger

A group of Democratic Sens is calling on the Justice Department to block the proposed AT&T-Time Warner merger, arguing the megadeal would hurt consumers. “Before initiating the next big wave of media consolidation, you must consider how the $85 billion deal will impact Americans' wallets, as well as their access to a wide-range of news and entertainment programming,” the Sens wrote in a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “Should you determine that the substantial harms to competition and consumers arising from the transaction outweigh the purported benefits, you should reject the proposed acquisition.”

The group is led by Sen Al Franken (D-MN) and includes Sens Ed Markey (D-MA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). In their letter, the Democrats argued the merger could lead to less competition among mobile broadband and television providers. And they raised concerns AT&T could violate net neutrality principles by restricting competitors' online and television content in favor of its own.