US: Dem congressman presses regulators over merger decisions

US: Dem congressman presses regulators over merger decisions.
The chair of the US House of Representatives antitrust subcommittee pressed top regulators on Tuesday over merger decisions, including the Justice Department’s approval of T-Mobile’s  proposed purchase of Sprint.

Congressman David Cicilline raised antitrust questions as activists and Democratic presidential candidates are advocating for more aggressive enforcement of rules governing market concentration and corporate behavior.

In questions posted on a House website, Cicilline asked Makan Delrahim, head of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, about text messages he had sent to Dish Network, Chairman Charlie Ergen, who plans to buy assets that T-Mobile and Sprint would sell as part of an agreement to win federal approval for their deal.

The planned merger of the third and fourth largest wireless providers is being challenged by state attorneys general, led by California and New York. A trial in New York is underway.