Supreme Court Says AGs Must Respond To Merger Suit Objections From Red States

Key Points:

• The Supreme Court has given California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 11 other blue state AGs until September 25, 2026, to respond to a challenge by Iowa and Montana regarding their opposition to the $111 billion Paramount Skydance merger.
• This order does not confirm whether the Supreme Court will hear the red states' request for expedited review but suggests they are considering it, potentially prolonging the dispute and deepening tensions between Paramount and the opposing states.
• The September 25 deadline coincides with critical legal proceedings, including a hearing on a $1.88 billion bond request by Paramount and a looming $7 million daily fee to Warner Bros Discovery shareholders, escalating financial pressures on the merger parties.
• California AG Bonta frames the lawsuit as straightforward antitrust enforcement, while Iowa AG Brenna Bird accuses the blue states of hostility toward a merger previously approved by multiple regulatory bodies, highlighting the political and ideological divide underlying the dispute.
• Neither the involved state attorneys general nor Paramount have publicly commented on the Supreme Court order, leaving the outcome and next steps uncertain in this high-stakes legal battle.