Dozens of California-based representatives despatched a letter Thursday to the state’s legal professional common urging him to conduct a “full and sturdy evaluation” of the proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance Company.
“If you happen to decide that this merger would have anticompetitive results, use your greatest judgment to pursue the suitable plan of action,” the letter, signed by 34 members of Congress representing totally different districts in California, reads.
The hassle was spearheaded by Rep. Laura Friedman — representing California’s thirtieth Congressional District — whose workplace confirmed it had beforehand been in contact with Paramount in regards to the merger.
“Hollywood employees are dropping jobs and manufacturing is fleeing California. Something that might make this worse, particularly extra consolidation, can’t go unexamined,” Friedman instructed The California Submit. “That’s why a majority of the California members of Congress joined me in supporting Legal professional Basic Bonta’s evaluation of the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.”
The letter’s issues have been strengthened by signatures from a number of high-profile Democrats, together with Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, Zoe Lofgren, Ted Lieu and Ro Khanna — among the extra nationally identified Democratic lawmakers in Congress.
Paramount Skydance Company — the newly mixed entity fashioned from Skydance Media and Paramount World — has reportedly moved ahead with a proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a blockbuster merger that will create one of many largest media conglomerates in historical past.
Shareholders of Warner Bros. reportedly authorized the merger on April 23, 2026, and the transaction is now awaiting regulatory approval in the US and Europe forward of a focused closing later this yr.
Beneath the deal, David Ellison is anticipated to steer the mixed firm, bringing collectively leisure giants together with Paramount Photos, Warner Bros. Studios, streaming platforms Max, Discovery+ and Paramount+, in addition to greater than two dozen cable channels and networks together with CNN, CBS Information and TBS.
The letter warned that California’s movie trade is already affected by falling manufacturing and main job losses, citing a 13.2% decline in filming in Los Angeles and greater than 42,000 leisure jobs misplaced in Los Angeles County between 2022 and 2024.
Lawmakers additionally expressed concern that the proposed merger’s deliberate $6 billion in value cuts may end in important extra layoffs.
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“I’ll hold ensuring that consolidation is scrutinized in order that we’re defending hardworking Angelenos,” Friedman stated.
The lawmakers’ push comes after greater than 4,000 leisure trade employees signed a separate open letter urging regulators to dam the deal, together with actors and filmmakers akin to Jane Fonda, Ben Stiller and J.J. Abrams.
Larry Ellison and his son have maintained shut ties to President Donald Trump, with Larry serving as a serious donor whereas Trump publicly praised David’s Skydance takeover of Paramount in 2025.
The Trump administration has indicated help for this new merger.
“Additionally it is unimaginable to miss the unprecedented politicization of antitrust enforcement by the Trump Administration,” the lawmakers wrote within the letter, noting they didn’t have “confidence that the Trump Administration evaluation of the merger shall be performed in line with the regulation.”
This letter additionally comes after Bonta introduced in February, that “California is taking a really shut look” on the dea.
“The proposed Warner Bros. transaction should obtain a full and sturdy evaluation,” Bonta stated on the time. “We’re dedicated to combating market consolidation that we discover illegal.”
The California Submit has reached out to the legal professional common’s workplace for touch upon the place the evaluation stands, in addition to to Paramount Skydance Company for remark.
