White House will not turn over documents on AT&T-Time Warner merger

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - The White House has told two U.S. House Democrats it will not turn over documents that could show whether Republican President Donald Trump sought to intervene in the regulatory review of AT&T Inc’s $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner Inc.

In March, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler and Representative David Cicilline, who chairs a panel overseeing antitrust issues, asked the White House and Justice Department to turn over records after The New Yorker magazine reported Trump directed then-National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn to use the Justice Department to block the deal.

The pair wrote that if accurate, Trump’s involvement would “constitute a grave abuse of power.” In February, a federal appeals court upheld a lower-court ruling rejecting a Justice Department challenge to the deal filed in November 2017.

Trump criticized the deal as a candidate in late 2016, saying it would concentrate too much media power in the hands of one owner, and later saying it would raise prices. He has also frequently attacked CNN, a Time Warner property now owned by AT&T, for what he sees as negative coverage of his campaign and administration.

-snip-

BUSINESS NEWS APRIL 16, 2019 / 5:03 PM / UPDATED 5 HOURS AGO
David Shepardson
3 MIN READ


Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-time-warner-at-t-congress/white-house-will-not-turn-over-documents-on-att-time-warner-merger-idUSKCN1RS28R

[Tanuki]

1. What's he hiding?

[cstanleytech]

9. You mean other than evidence of his potentially breaking numerous laws?

[Botany]

2. They will not turn over the Mueller Report

They will not turn over Trump's tax returns
They are fighting to stop Deutsche Bank for releasing their records as per Trump to the US Congress
They will not turn over the AT&T-Time Warner merger records
They will not turn over their records as per the 2016 inauguration/grift fest


Nothing to see here. BTW what about Hillary's email server?

[dixiegrrrrl]

18. You know Bill Barr has been a telecom lawyer for years, and made millions from this merger.....

he joined Time Warner as a board member (right after it separated from Time Warner Cable), making close to $2 million in connection with the AT&T-Time Warner merger last year.

So he wants the merger to go thru, and he is now head of DOJ which is fighting the merger.

Good article here from Feb.
https://www.wired.com/story/ag-nominee-william-barr-no-friend-telecom-competition/

[Chin music]

3. The die is cast.

Congress has to get this lout out of office. Been wayyyy too long to have delayed starting impeachment hearings. Do whats right, and let the chips fall where they may. Once the hearings start, the antiseptic of sunshine will guide the gop who aren't done mooching their govt jobs and are worried about re-election. It's past the threshold moment. Time to act "as if" everything's ready, and let things be in the hands of our Forefathers who look down from above. It's time.
If not now, when? And if there's no 'when", then let us know so we can all get in the streets and voice our reaction to that.

[Efilroft Sul]

5. Congress needs to draft a list of grievances much like the Declaration of Independence.

The stench of this administration's corruption could choke the angels on high.

[Chin music]

6. Cough cough

I hear ya.

[Efilroft Sul]

7. Good one! Cough!

[murielm99]

14. Best idea I have seen in a long time.

[Judi Lynn]

10. Absolutely, putting voters on the streets in marches might get the politicians' attention. n/t

[Chin music]

13. ++11

[dalton99a]

11. +1. Impeach the motherfucker.

[Chin music]

12. +1

[wiggs]

4. I think the appropriate response to this refusal and others is for congress to assume the worst

and proceed with sanctions and subpoenas and consequences from there. Let them prove otherwise.

Same with tax returns. Just assume that there's all kinds of money flowing from Russia and elsewhere into Trump's businesses and private accounts...assume he's compromised and a liar and begin impeachment.

[Chin music]

8. See me standing and clapping my hands, and

whistling like a wolf on Bugs Bunny, to that comment.
Prove your way out of it trumpers. No more using the law as a shield, and a sword, for felonious unAmerican activities.

[DeminPennswoods]

15. Why not supoena Gary Cohn?

He can confirm or deny this under oath.

[area51]

16. Of course not.

Trump thinks he's king.

[blugbox]

17. Wouldn't it be hilarious

If this ended up taking him down? I only say this because it's actually the only thing I kind of agree with Dump on. I don't think one owner should have that much power, as more competition is always better.

Of course he abused his power as usual and went about it completely the wrong way.

Throw the book at him! I don't care if I agree in this one instance haha!