WASHINGTON, D.C. — The FCC in a 2-1 decision fueled by its Republican majority on Thursday approved the $8 billion merger of Paramount Global with Skydance Media. But, as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sees it, it was the Trump administration that gave the green light on the deal. And, in her view, that makes the deal look crooked.
In a statement released late Thursday, the Bay State Senator chose not to target FCC Chairman Brendan Carr or Commissioner Olivia Trusty but the President of the United States himself.
“Bribery is illegal no matter who is president,” Warren said. “It sure looks like Skydance and Paramount paid $36 million to Donald Trump for this merger, and he’s even bragged about this crooked-looking deal. I’ve been ringing the alarm bell for months, launching a Senate investigation into possible corruption, and this merger must be investigated for any criminal behavior. It’s an open question whether the Trump administration’s approval of this merger was the result of a bribe.”
Warren has led the charge to determine if Paramount “bribed” President Trump in exchange for approval of its multi-billion-dollar mega-merger with Skydance. This includes a July 21 letter from Warren and fellow Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), in which they wrote to Skydance CEO David Ellison about reports of a secret deal between Skydance and President Trump — and how it may be related to Paramount’s recent multi-million-dollar settlement agreement with Trump.
Additionally, Warren on July 2 called for an investigation into Paramount’s settlement with Trump. This came after a May 19 letter from Warren, Sanders, and Wyden in which they wrote to Shari Redstone, Chair of Paramount, with concerns regarding whether Paramount may be engaging in potentially illegal conduct involving the Trump Administration in exchange for approval of its megamerger with Skydance.
Warren sits on the Senate Committee on Finance, the Senate Committee on Armed Forces, and the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.
