Sen Sanders, Kobuchar criticize FCC's green light on T-Mobile-Sprint merger

Sens Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) are criticizing Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai's decision to greenlight the merger of T-Mobile and Sprint -- the latest sign that antitrust issues are core to many of their 2020 platforms. Sens Sanders and Klobuchar say a merger of the telecommunications giants would leave consumers with fewer choices. Sen Klobuchar, who is expected to publish a book on antitrust issues later in 2019, said the deal could harm competition. “T-Mobile has long been a competitive disruptor in the market, bringing down prices and spurring innovation,” she said. “I don’t think going from four to three major carriers will be good for competition in the long term.”

Although Sens Sanders and Klobuchar were the only ones to weigh in on May 20, other 2020 contenders are on record criticizing the deal. Earlier in 2019, Sens Sanders, Kobuchar, Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) were among the Democratic senators who sent a letter to Chairman Pai, calling on the FCC to reject the deal.