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Senator Warren Calls Out 'Cloud Of Corruption' In Warner Bros. Merger Drama

MarketDash Editorial Team
4 hours ago
Senator Elizabeth Warren is urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to recuse herself from reviewing potential Warner Bros. Discovery deals, citing conflicts of interest involving her former employer and companies lobbying the Trump Administration.

The battle over Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) just got more complicated. Senator Elizabeth Warren has joined forces with Senator Richard Blumenthal to call out what they're describing as a "cloud of corruption" surrounding potential merger deals, and they want Attorney General Pam Bondi to recuse herself from the review process entirely.

At the center of this mess? A lobbying firm called Ballard Partners, which happens to be Bondi's former employer. And here's where it gets interesting: both Netflix Inc. (NFLX) and Paramount Skydance (PSKY) hired Ballard to lobby the Trump Administration on their behalf as they compete to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.

The Conflict of Interest Problem

Warren and Blumenthal sent a letter urging Bondi to step aside from any Department of Justice reviews involving these potential deals. According to a report from Variety, the letter pulls no punches about the appearance of impropriety.

"We write to urge you to recuse yourself from any involvement in Department of Justice (DOJ) reviews of deals involving Warner Bros. Discovery and either Netflix or Paramount Skydance," the senators wrote.

The concern isn't just about Bondi's previous work at Ballard Partners. It's about the perception that major corporations believe hiring Ballard might be their ticket to favorable treatment from the Trump Administration. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles also worked at Ballard, which doesn't exactly help dispel those concerns.

"Lobbying firm Ballard Partners, your former employer, is a favorite firm among companies with business before the Trump Administration," the letter states. "Giant corporations appear to be acting under the assumption that signing with Ballard Partners may be their key to currying favor with the administration."

The senators point out that many recent Ballard clients have been companies lobbying the Department of Justice in 2025, creating what they call troubling connections.

"These connections are troubling because the cloud of corruption surrounding the White House involvement in the Warner Bros. deal extends to Ballard," the letter reads.

There's An Ethics Agreement, But Questions Remain

Bondi does have an ethics agreement in place that prevents her from participating in matters involving Ballard's clients. That agreement expires on February 4, 2026. But Warren and Blumenthal argue that even after that deadline, Bondi's involvement would still look bad.

"This agreement is an important acknowledgement of the potential ethics concerns surrounding your involvement in this matter. Even after the February 4 deadline, any involvement in the Netflix-Paramount matter would raise the appearance of serious impropriety," they wrote.

Where The Merger Battle Stands

Right now, Netflix (NFLX) has an approved agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) to acquire the studio division and HBO Max. But Paramount Skydance (PSKY) isn't backing down. The company launched a hostile takeover attempt, going directly to Warner Bros. shareholders with a $30 per share offer. Warner Bros. has told shareholders to reject it.

Here's where things get even messier: during the bidding process, a Trump Administration official reportedly warned companies other than Paramount Skydance that they might face tough regulatory scrutiny. Paramount Skydance includes Trump ally Larry Ellison as a major shareholder, and reports suggest the company was the Administration's preferred bidder.

President Trump himself said he would be "involved" in reviewing the Warner Bros. buyout, which has raised eyebrows given his public criticism of CNN, a Warner Bros.-owned network. That involvement has sparked concerns that any merger could lead to editorial changes at CNN or potential censorship to avoid antagonizing the White House.

The Department of Justice has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded.

Warren and Blumenthal's letter highlights a broader concern: that the Department of Justice has faced previous allegations of inappropriate influence from the Trump Administration on major decisions. With billions of dollars and media influence at stake, the senators are calling for clear ethical boundaries in how this merger gets reviewed.

Back to News

Senator Warren Calls Out 'Cloud Of Corruption' In Warner Bros. Merger Drama

MarketDash Editorial Team
4 hours ago
Senator Elizabeth Warren is urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to recuse herself from reviewing potential Warner Bros. Discovery deals, citing conflicts of interest involving her former employer and companies lobbying the Trump Administration.

The battle over Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) just got more complicated. Senator Elizabeth Warren has joined forces with Senator Richard Blumenthal to call out what they're describing as a "cloud of corruption" surrounding potential merger deals, and they want Attorney General Pam Bondi to recuse herself from the review process entirely.

At the center of this mess? A lobbying firm called Ballard Partners, which happens to be Bondi's former employer. And here's where it gets interesting: both Netflix Inc. (NFLX) and Paramount Skydance (PSKY) hired Ballard to lobby the Trump Administration on their behalf as they compete to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.

The Conflict of Interest Problem

Warren and Blumenthal sent a letter urging Bondi to step aside from any Department of Justice reviews involving these potential deals. According to a report from Variety, the letter pulls no punches about the appearance of impropriety.

"We write to urge you to recuse yourself from any involvement in Department of Justice (DOJ) reviews of deals involving Warner Bros. Discovery and either Netflix or Paramount Skydance," the senators wrote.

The concern isn't just about Bondi's previous work at Ballard Partners. It's about the perception that major corporations believe hiring Ballard might be their ticket to favorable treatment from the Trump Administration. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles also worked at Ballard, which doesn't exactly help dispel those concerns.

"Lobbying firm Ballard Partners, your former employer, is a favorite firm among companies with business before the Trump Administration," the letter states. "Giant corporations appear to be acting under the assumption that signing with Ballard Partners may be their key to currying favor with the administration."

The senators point out that many recent Ballard clients have been companies lobbying the Department of Justice in 2025, creating what they call troubling connections.

"These connections are troubling because the cloud of corruption surrounding the White House involvement in the Warner Bros. deal extends to Ballard," the letter reads.

There's An Ethics Agreement, But Questions Remain

Bondi does have an ethics agreement in place that prevents her from participating in matters involving Ballard's clients. That agreement expires on February 4, 2026. But Warren and Blumenthal argue that even after that deadline, Bondi's involvement would still look bad.

"This agreement is an important acknowledgement of the potential ethics concerns surrounding your involvement in this matter. Even after the February 4 deadline, any involvement in the Netflix-Paramount matter would raise the appearance of serious impropriety," they wrote.

Where The Merger Battle Stands

Right now, Netflix (NFLX) has an approved agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) to acquire the studio division and HBO Max. But Paramount Skydance (PSKY) isn't backing down. The company launched a hostile takeover attempt, going directly to Warner Bros. shareholders with a $30 per share offer. Warner Bros. has told shareholders to reject it.

Here's where things get even messier: during the bidding process, a Trump Administration official reportedly warned companies other than Paramount Skydance that they might face tough regulatory scrutiny. Paramount Skydance includes Trump ally Larry Ellison as a major shareholder, and reports suggest the company was the Administration's preferred bidder.

President Trump himself said he would be "involved" in reviewing the Warner Bros. buyout, which has raised eyebrows given his public criticism of CNN, a Warner Bros.-owned network. That involvement has sparked concerns that any merger could lead to editorial changes at CNN or potential censorship to avoid antagonizing the White House.

The Department of Justice has been contacted for comment but has not yet responded.

Warren and Blumenthal's letter highlights a broader concern: that the Department of Justice has faced previous allegations of inappropriate influence from the Trump Administration on major decisions. With billions of dollars and media influence at stake, the senators are calling for clear ethical boundaries in how this merger gets reviewed.