We’re staying with this story because it matters and it’s in the process of getting arcane and hard to follow. There’s a hearing today in DC to set a schedule for the legal action that the Department of Justice has taken against AT&T, aimed at stopping the takeover of T-Mobile. District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle is looking to set a trial date and has asked both sides to be equipped to talk about settlement options. There’s no indication that the government plans to consider settlement.
From Bloomberg:
Huvelle could decide today when the case goes to trial should settlement talks fail. AT&T is pushing for Jan. 16 while the U.S. proposed March 19. The $39 billion T-Mobile transaction is scheduled to close by March 20, though that deadline can be extended, according to company filings.
Meanwhile, House Republicans were denied an opportunity to meet with Justice to talk about the case. The members said they had concerns about how blocking the takeover would affect jobs and economic growth. But Justice declined to meet with them, saying this is active litigation.
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