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
unverified · Source version 52568 · locator unknown
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.
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
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.
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
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.
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
Within the lookback window, the report says settlement talks had broken down while the California-led multistate antitrust lawsuit against the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger remained pending. It reports that DOJ completed its review without seeking to block the deal, but the companies still cannot close until June 1, 2027 or a court decision, with trial scheduled for March 2027.
legacy_unverified · Source version not recorded · locator unknown
Liccardo joined Senators Warren and Blumenthal and other House members in urging DOJ and Treasury to closely examine antitrust and national security risks from Paramount's proposed Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition. The release says this was Liccardo's fourth effort raising concerns about the transaction and asks for rigorous scrutiny and preservation of review records.
Assessments
The promise was an oversight/warning commitment, not a pledge to block or complete regulatory action. Same-term evidence shows Liccardo led or joined formal congressional letters and public releases warning that the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery transaction would face extensive U.S. and EU review and urging scrutiny of competition, consumer choice, pricing, national security, foreign influence, editorial independence, and media pluralism concerns. Those actions directly satisfy the promised warning and effort to secure close regulatory scrutiny while he was serving in federal office.
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.