Sanders to government: Kill $85 billion merger

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Sen. Bernie Sanders is calling on the government to block a proposed $85 billion merger of communications giants AT&T and Time Warner.

The Vermont independent and former contender for the Democratic presidential nomination warned in a Wednesday letter to President Barack Obama’s Justice Department that the merger would lead to less “competition and diversity of content” and would “provide consumers less while charging them more.”

There is bipartisan opposition to the proposed acquisition by broadband and wireless provider AT&T of Time Warner, which owns CNN, HBO and Warner Bros.

Sanders warned the proposed deal could lead to a wave of mergers in an already concentrated media industry.

Donald Trump has swung against the merger, but Hillary Clinton has been more cautious.

A Clinton spokesman said Sunday that there are “a number of questions and concerns” about the merger “but there’s still a lot of information that needs to come out before any conclusions should be reached.”