Today, Congressman Sam Liccardo (CA-16) and Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) led an international coalition ... in warning Paramount Skydance of its proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery faces extensive regulatory review in the United States and European Union.
Warn that the Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger will face extensive regulatory review in the United States and the European Union, and seek to ensure close scrutiny of competition, consumer choice, pricing, national security, and media pluralism concerns.
Occurrences
After Foreign Governments Dump Billions into Paramount-Warner Bros. Bid, Liccardo, Warren, Blumenthal, Schiff Seek CFIUS Review of National Security Threats
Evidence
The coalition led by Liccardo warned Paramount Skydance that its proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery faces extensive regulatory review in the United States and European Union, and said regulators will closely scrutinize impacts on competition, consumer choice, pricing, national security, and media pluralism.
The letter says shareholder approval does not affect the rigorous review under competition, national security, editorial independence, and media/cultural plurality frameworks; it says the transaction could lessen competition, reduce consumer choice, increase prices, and that EU regulators will closely examine market definition, market share, and downstream impacts.
Liccardo sent a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr urging denial of Paramount’s foreign-ownership request, warning of unresolved questions about national security, foreign influence over American media, and public-interest obligations tied to the deal.
Assessments
The promise was to warn that the Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery transaction would face extensive U.S. and EU regulatory review and to seek close scrutiny of competition, consumer choice, pricing, national security, and media pluralism issues. The evidence shows Liccardo, as a sitting U.S. representative, did exactly that during the same term: he led or joined a coalition statement and letter explicitly warning of extensive review in both jurisdictions and naming the same concern categories, and he also sent an FCC letter pressing additional regulatory scrutiny. Because this is an oversight promise focused on making the warning and seeking scrutiny—not on guaranteeing a final regulatory outcome—the documented actions satisfy the commitment.