AT&T demanded the DOJ hand over documents that could show Trump’s influence over the Time Warner deal. A judge said no.

Author: 
Coverage Type: 

A federal judge has ruled against AT&T in its effort to force the Justice Department to reveal whether President Donald Trump inappropriately interfered with a regulatory review of the telecommunication company's $85 billion Time Warner merger.  The ruling from Judge Richard Leon rejects AT&T's argument that the government has singled out the company for special scrutiny. The move blocks an attempt by AT&T to draw Trump into the legal battle by raising questions as to what, if any, pressure he may have placed on antitrust regulators to stop the acquisition.

AT&T had requested that Leon compel the Justice Department to provide a log of any communications that may have transpired between the White House and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, as well as communications that could have taken place between Sessions and the department's antitrust team. If President Trump did pressure the Justice Department, that could be a potentially illegal exercise of executive authority. Agency lawyers argued in court that the Justice Department had already provided more than enough evidence to disprove President Trump's involvement, beginning with a log of direct communications between the White House and the department's antitrust division.


AT&T demanded the DOJ hand over documents that could show Trump’s influence over the Time Warner deal. A judge said no. Judge rejects AT&T inquiry into possible Trump influence in merger case (The Hill)