Republican State Attorneys General Join Lawsuit To Stop $6.2b Local Tv Merger

Five much states are joining a national antitrust suit aimed astatine stopping the blockbuster merger betwixt Nexstar and Tegna, a firm tie-up that would create nan largest usability of section tv stations successful nan nation.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, whose agency is starring nan tribunal challenge, said Thursday that Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Vermont had joined arsenic plaintiffs, making nan suit a bipartisan effort.

“This is not arguable worldly — this merger is forbidden and will springiness Nexstar and Tegna nan expertise to power and raise prices, occurrence journalists, and predominate nan media landscape,” Bonta said in a statement.

“We invited our sister states into nan fray and look guardant to fighting alongside them,” Bonta added.

Nexstar and Tegna did not instantly respond to requests for remark Thursday.

The caller plaintiffs subordinate a lineup that includes authorities attorneys wide for Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Virginia. The 13 authorities attorneys revenge an amended title Thursday.

The attorneys wide of Indiana and Kansas are Republicans, while nan others down nan suit are Democrats.

U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley successful California 2 weeks agone issued a preliminary injunction pausing nan merger arsenic nan lawsuit goes forward. Bonta’s agency astatine nan clip touted that ruling arsenic a “critical triumph successful our case.”

The Federal Communications Commission and nan Department of Justice some approved nan merger past month. President Donald Trump besides publically backed nan deal.

In green-lighting it, nan FCC waived a norm barring immoderate azygous institution from owning tv stations that scope much than 39% of U.S. households. The mixed entity would ain immoderate 264 TV stations and scope arsenic galore arsenic 80% of U.S. households, according to estimates cited successful tribunal documents.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, said waiving nan norm was “consistent” pinch nan agency’s ineligible authority.

Nexstar CEO Perry Sook has touted nan benefits of nan transaction, calling it “essential to sustaining beardown section publicity successful nan communities we serve.”