Rob Bonta Sued Paramount to Counter Political Influence, Then Fell Victim to It

When Rob Bonta sued to block the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger in July, he said he was doing so because the Trump administration had failed to act for political reasons. “They are greenlighting deals that their own antitrust section at U.S. DOJ knows and believes are unlawful, and they’re overriding them in the White House with […] Rob Bonta brought suit against Paramount in an effort to counter political interference in antitrust enforcement, then fell victim to it. When Rob Bonta sued to block the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger in July, he said he was doing so because the Trump administration had failed to act for political reasons.

“They are greenlighting deals that their own antitrust section at U.S. DOJ knows and believes are unlawful, and they’re overriding them in the White House with political decisions,” he said. “They are not just missing in action, they are making things worse for Americans … So our role is more important.” A mere two months later, Bonta has had to abandon his case in exchange for only modest conditions — largely due to political interference. Gov. Gavin Newsom weighed in early and often, suggesting that it would be better for Bonta to settle than risk going to