AT&T/TW Gets OK From Federal Judge in Rejection of DOJ Antitrust Complaint

AT&T's planned $108.7 billion purchase of Time Warner got the green light Tuesday from U.S. District Judge Richard Leon of Washington. as he ruled in favor of the companies in rejecting DOJ's antitrust complaint seeking to block the deal. Leon announced his decision this afternoon to a packed courtroom.

DOJ sued the companies in November to block the deal, claiming New AT&T would pose too big an anticompetitive risk to rival video distributors. Many saw Justice's complaint facing long odds against success. The seven-week bench trial saw DOJ trying to paint a picture of New AT&T as willing and able to use its vertical integration against other MVPDs and the companies trying to raise doubt about the government's economic model.