Rep Mike Honda opposes Comcast-Time Warner merger

Seven-term Rep Mike Honda (D-CA), challenged by opponent Ro Khanna to take a stand on the impending $45 billion mega-merger of Comcast and Time Warner Cable, said that he opposes the deal as “not in the best interests of my constituents.”

“I have long advocated for policies that protect and enhance consumer choice, increase competition, enable innovation and promote network neutrality. This merger has the potential to harm these principles, and I believe it should not be approved. I have always fought for diversity in media ownership, local control over cable franchising, and requiring providers to build out networks to all parts of their service area so that all consumers can benefit from broadband access and competition. I fear that this merger, which would concentrate vast market share in a single company, would result in price increases for customers, would slow the pace of innovation in the equipment market, and would dampen investment in the development of online content.”