Comic timing

13 July 2018 By Gina Chon Follow @GinaChon

The U.S. Justice Dept faces high hurdles in appealing a harsh ruling that cleared the $85 bln purchase of Time Warner. But since the deal closed, AT&T is raising some customer prices. The hikes came after the DOJ lost its case, but could still sway the court of public opinion.

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The U.S. Justice Department on July 12 filed a notice to appeal a judge’s ruling that allowed AT&T’s $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner to move forward.

The DOJ sued AT&T to block the deal in November 2017, arguing it would harm consumers by reducing competition and raising prices. Government lawyers have not filed the appeal itself and didn’t disclose the legal grounds on which it was making the move.

On June 12, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon ruled in favor of the companies without attaching any merger conditions on the deal. He also urged the Justice Department not to seek a stay of the ruling as it considered whether to appeal. AT&T said on June 14 it had completed the acquisition.

AT&T said it was ready to defend the court’s decision at the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

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