TEHRAN, June 13 - AT&T will be allowed to complete its takeover of media giant Time Warner, with a judge dismissing a Trump administration lawsuit to block the merger, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - Federal district court Judge Richard Leon issued a ruling that approved the $85.4 billion deal, without any conditions, in a locked courtroom with windows papered over, according to multiple media outlets stationed outside the courthouse.
"We are disappointed in the ruling," Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim said in a statement shortly after the ruling.
The Department of Justice had sued to block the merger, claiming the combination would reduce competition and innovation in the market for pay television.
AT&T is known to most Americans as a cell phone service provider while Time Warner owns giant media brands such as the HBO movie channel, the Warner Brothers movie studio and CNN.
Delrahim said the Justice Department remains committed to preserving competition for the benefit of consumers and is reviewing its options.
The Justice Department must now decide whether to allow the merger to proceed or appeal the decision to a higher court.
Source: Sputnik
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