The u.s. department of Justice appealed against the merger of AT&T-Time Warner

© Reuters. The u.s. department of Justice appealed against the merger of AT&T-Time Warner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The u.s. department of Justice (DoJ) announced on Thursday evening his intention to appeal the decision of a federal judge to authorize the purchase of Time Warner by the telecom operator AT&T for a total 85.4 billion ($73,2 billion euros).

The DoJ has not specified the grounds on which he relies for his appeal, and AT&T declined to comment immediately.

Title AT&T gave up 1.3% 31,80 dollars in trade after the stock Exchange on Wall Street in reaction to this announcement would jeopardise the acquisition of Time Warner.

Judge Richard Leon of the district of Columbia, had given the green light without conditions on June 13. The DoJ had indicated that it would not challenge the decision in the immediate future, but he was given a time limit of 60 days for potential call.

AT&T has completed the acquisition on 14 June, while accepting that you can stay Time Warner in a subsidiary separate the time of a potential call.

The proposed merger, announced in October 2016, had been denounced by president Donald Trump, then a candidate for the white House, on the ground that it was dangerous for democracy.

The department of Justice had based its complaint on the consumer but the judge Leon had agreed that the consolidation of telecommunications activities, AT&T and tv channels and film studios are Time Warner does not pose a competition problem.

(David Shepardson, Véronique Tison for the French service)