Makan Delrahim’s two years in charge of the Justice Department’s antitrust division have been filled with headlines, reported The Wall Street Journal. Some highlights:
AT&T ’s Time Warner acquisition—The department sued to challenge this deal, arguing it would suppress competition in the pay-TV industry. A federal judge thought otherwise and allowed the merger after a six-week trial. President Trump opposed the deal, and AT&T questioned whether the lawsuit was politically motivated, a claim Mr. Delrahim denied.
CVS -Aetna—The department allowed this health-industry merger after the companies sold off Medicare-related assets. But a judge—the same from the AT&T case—this time questioned why the department wasn’t more aggressive. Proceedings are continuing.
Bayer -Monsanto—The department gave this combination a green light after Bayer agreed to sell off about $9 billion in assets, the largest divestiture ever in a U.S. merger-approval settlement.
The Oscars—The antitrust division warned the body that presents the Academy Awards that a proposed rule change designed to exclude Netflix could raise antitrust concerns. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ultimately decided against making a change.
International antitrust rules—Mr. Delrahim and the department were central in brokering a new global agreement designed to make antitrust enforcement more transparent, predictable and consistent across international jurisdictions. More than 60 c
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