Alvaro Bedoya

He could challenge this merger today in 10 minutes.

And even if the merger goes through, here's what everyone is forgetting.

This thing could be over by March 20th if Paramount can go through with it.

The Paramount lawyers have made a big stink about how they are answering all those Department of Justice queries super duper fast so that if they get the nod from the White House and the Department of Justice, which is now run by the White House, they can get right in there.

You know what can happen on March 21st?

Mr. Bonta, Attorney General of California, can file a challenge under the Tunney Act.

Now, obviously, there's some details there that need to be worked out, but there are possibilities.

A private plaintiff could sue.

There's all sorts of sketchy stuff around this merger.

There's $24 billion of money that people know of.

From Saudi Arabia, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, that bastion of free speech, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Now, let's all remember the head, the effective head of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was named by American intelligence authorities as being responsible for the death of Jamal Khashoggi in the war.

Saudi Arabian consulate or embassy in Istanbul.

These are the folks who are about to control if this paramount deal goes through, not just CBS News, not just 60 Minutes, but CNN and HBO Max as well.

That includes folks like John Oliver.

That includes other folks that are making news at HBO.

And so there's all sorts of reasons, be it the corruption, be it the foreign influence.

be it the domination of American news, that someone like Attorney General Rob Bonta could come in.

And let me, if I could, just throw one last thing in here.

I don't understand why ambitious 2028 presidential hopefuls aren't drawing a line in the sand and saying, hey guys, good luck with that merger of yours.