Republican state attorneys general join lawsuit to stop $6.2B local TV merger - BERITAJA

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 the largest usability of section tv stations successful the nation.

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

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

“We invited our sister states into the 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 the others down the suit are Democrats.

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

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

In green-lighting it, the 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 the norm was “consistent” pinch the agency’s ineligible authority.

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