1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

The settlement allowing Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is a betrayal of every voter who expects their elected officials to stand up to billionaire power. California's attorney general, governor, and the frontrunner to succeed him all caved — and now a media conglomerate allied with the president, co-owned by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, will control nearly 30% of US theatrical film distribution and basic cable licensing, including CNN. This isn't a close call. Twelve attorneys general originally filed suit because this deal would "extinguish competition" and inflict "substantial harm on audiences nationwide." The trial was set for March. Instead of fighting, officials folded under pressure from Paramount's threat to leave California — what the American Economic Liberties Project rightly called "a desperate attempt at extortion." Workers in film and TV will suffer. Prices will rise. And one of the nation's most critical news outlets will fall under the control of a billionaire donor to the president. Use every tool available to reverse or challenge this settlement. The public is watching, and we expect representatives who work for voters — not for the corporations trying to buy our democracy.