Calif. Attorney General Bonta Cancels Paramount Talks
Are Bonta's decisions part of a principled antitrust stand or a politically motivated power play?
Above: Rob Bonta in Oakland, Calif. on Aug. 18. Image credit: Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
Bonta was right to walk away from this meeting. This merger is a billionaire power grab that will cost thousands of jobs and drive up costs for everyday Americans. The antitrust case is rock-solid, and no amount of astroturf campaigns or political pressure from Trump-aligned insiders should water it down.
Right narrative
This was a transparent political stunt dressed up as principle by Bonta. Fellow California Democrats are pleading with him to settle because real Hollywood jobs are on the line. This lawsuit was really about leveraging the Attorney General's office to punish political enemies and reward the right donors.
