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Oregon AG Drops Effort To Delay Paramount
Deadline • • business
Key Points:
- Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield has dropped a civil investigative demand and a motion to delay Paramount's merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, after Paramount refused to comply with the demand for lobbying records related to federal approval efforts.
- Paramount praised the decision, stating the merger is lawful, pro-competitive, and has been cleared by antitrust authorities worldwide, highlighting benefits such as increased consumer choice and investment in content.
- Rayfield criticized Paramount for refusing to comply and indicated the state will consider next steps, while California Attorney General Rob Bonta and other states are reportedly contemplating a legal challenge.
- The investigation focused on Paramount's lobbying strategies, internally called "Project Warrior," and its role in a DOJ statement supporting the merger, but Paramount argued the requests were overly burdensome and irrelevant to Oregon’s antitrust laws.
