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Here's what @AGRobBonta said this afternoon on MS NOW about the...
Brian Stelter@brianstelter
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Sep 18, 2026
~1 min read
Here's what @AGRobBonta said this afternoon on MS NOW about the reports that Paramount is on the verge of saying it'll leave California:
"I can't comment on what a corporation will do. And this is a corporation who has professed a commitment to L.A., to Hollywood, to staying there. So, we've heard this threat before, and it's inconsistent with other things that they have said.
If they decide to leave, it's their independent choice. I'm not asking for it. I don't want it, obviously. And that responsibility will lay at their feet.
There's nothing about this case that requires that – or would cause it. It would be their choice and their choice alone. They'll have to own it.
You know, we will enforce the law always without fear or favor. That's our job. And we will also be willing, always, to come to the table and have good faith, sincere negotiations to solve the problem before us.
But we're not focused on their threats. We're focused on this case, which is protecting everyday people in California, making sure their costs are affordable, their costs for cable or satellite, for going to the movies. That's what antitrust is about. It's about affordability. So we want to keep prices fair, make sure we protect jobs. And this merger is a threat to jobs. There will be 5000 to 10,000 jobs that could be lost, billions of dollars in economic activity lost because of the merger. We want to make sure there's choice, quality, competition. That's what antitrust enforcement is all about.
So we're going to focus on the job ahead, be firm, be fair, and not be distracted by threats."
"I can't comment on what a corporation will do. And this is a corporation who has professed a commitment to L.A., to Hollywood, to staying there. So, we've heard this threat before, and it's inconsistent with other things that they have said.
If they decide to leave, it's their independent choice. I'm not asking for it. I don't want it, obviously. And that responsibility will lay at their feet.
There's nothing about this case that requires that – or would cause it. It would be their choice and their choice alone. They'll have to own it.
You know, we will enforce the law always without fear or favor. That's our job. And we will also be willing, always, to come to the table and have good faith, sincere negotiations to solve the problem before us.
But we're not focused on their threats. We're focused on this case, which is protecting everyday people in California, making sure their costs are affordable, their costs for cable or satellite, for going to the movies. That's what antitrust is about. It's about affordability. So we want to keep prices fair, make sure we protect jobs. And this merger is a threat to jobs. There will be 5000 to 10,000 jobs that could be lost, billions of dollars in economic activity lost because of the merger. We want to make sure there's choice, quality, competition. That's what antitrust enforcement is all about.
So we're going to focus on the job ahead, be firm, be fair, and not be distracted by threats."
