NY Times - The bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery has seen the titans of Netflix and Paramount courting President Trump at the White House and even at the Kennedy Center.
Every new meeting is ratcheting up the pressure — not just on the deal, but on a little-known government official named Gail Slater.
Ms. Slater, 54, heads the Department of Justice’s antitrust division, which is widely expected to handle the government’s review of the proposed sale of Warner Bros.
The president’s involvement has upended the usual process for reviewing major business deals like this one. It calls into question the legitimacy of Ms. Slater’s inquiry before it even starts, according to antitrust experts and former agency officials. It could force her to make a case based on politics, not merit, or put her at odds with a president who often demands loyalty over everything.
“The notion that the president might have already picked a winner and a loser before any investigation has even begun is highly problematic, and presents her with a formidable challenge,” said Bill Baer, who led the antitrust division during the Obama administration.
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