Washington Post

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 is demanding that the Justice Department hand over additional evidence to prove that President Donald Trump did not wield political influence over the agency as its antitrust enforcers reviewed the company's bid to acquire Time Warner. DOJ should produce a log of any conversations that may have transpired between the White House and Attorney General Jeff Sessions pertaining to AT&T's $85 billion merger, the company argued before a federal judge. Separately, DOJ should also be required, AT&T said, to disclose any conversations between AG Sessions and the agency's antitrust d