Click here to read the full article. Democrats in Congress are taking aim at the pending $43 billion merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery , pushing the Justice Department to scrutinize the transaction on antitrust grounds. In a letter sent Monday to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Justice Department antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter, the legislators assert that too much consolidation in media will hurt competition in Hollywood’s labor market and result in less diversity overall in content. More from Variety Chris Cuomo Suspended by CNN Disney, WarnerMedia Carve Up Fox Film Slate Streaming Rights Through End of 2022 (EXCLUSIVE) Nielsen Plans Overhaul for Commercial Ratings, Will Track Viewers for Specific Ads “This transaction raises significant antitrust concerns. In particular, the merger threatens to enhance the market power of the combined firm and substantially lessen competition in the media and entertainment industry, harming both … [Read more...]

The goal for Democrats was to pass President Biden Joe Biden China eyes military base on Africa's Atlantic coast: report Biden orders flags be flown at half-staff through Dec. 9 to honor Dole Biden heading to Kansas City to promote infrastructure package MORE 's sweeping climate and social spending package by Christmas, but that is slipping away as the Senate bogs down in one time-consuming fight after another. Democratic senators are growing increasingly doubtful that Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck Schumer Hospitals in underserved communities face huge cuts in reckless 'Build Back Better' plan GOP infighting takes stupid to a whole new level Progressive groups urge Schumer to prevent further cuts to T plan MORE (D-N.Y.) will be able to meet his Christmas deadline because several major disagreements are holding up the Build Back Better Act, including a fight over lifting the cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions. … [Read more...]

Two congressional Democrats have filed a motion to intervene in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s defense of its leadership structure, fearing the Trump administration will not protect an agency championed by former President Barack Obama. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Rep. Maxine Waters of California, the top Democrats on committees overseeing the agency, filed a motion to take over its defense in the event the Trump administration chooses to stymie the agency in its ongoing legal battle over its leadership structure. They are represented by the Constitutional Accountability Center. A three judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled in October 2015 that the CFPB’s leadership framework is unconstitutional, because its director may only be dismissed by the president for cause. Critics argue insulating the director from dismissal at the president’s pleasure compromises the president’s exclusive authority to supervise and direct executive branch … [Read more...]

Sunday, during his FNC show’s opening monologue, conservative talker Mark Levin slammed the media for the incompetence and misleading narrative aimed at former President Donald Trump. He was especially critical of the Pelosi-led Congress that sought Trump’s impeachment. The “Life, Liberty & Levin” host also gave low marks to his successor, current President Joe Biden, noting how conditions have deteriorated under the Biden presidency. Transcript as follows: LEVIN: We have got to reject the media narrative in this country. If you listen to the media in this country, you’re going to get all screwed up. You’re not going to get the facts, you’re not going to get any history, even recent history. It is a propaganda operation and we should all know this by now. There are a handful of real journalists in this country, a handful of news platforms in this country, and that’s it. One of the things they want to do is ensure that Donald Trump, if he chooses to run for President … [Read more...]

Katie Haun of Andreessen Horowitz. Photo: Ian C. Bates/The New York Times/Redux In June, venture-capital powerhouse Andreessen Horowitz launched a $2.2 billion crypto fund, staking out an enormous position in a market known as much for its volatility as its innovative potential . For Andreessen Horowitz, the enormous investment is the product of the firm’s evolving approach to crypto, which it first invested in back in 2013. That approach is thanks in no small part to Katie Haun, a partner at Andreessen who co-leads the firm’s crypto fund. Before joining Andreessen Horowitz in 2018, Haun was a federal prosecutor who had experience going after gun smugglers, drug cartels, motorcycle gangs, and fraudsters. At some point, she caught her first bitcoin case, and soon after, she was the federal government’s go-to prosecutor for cryptocurrency cases. In 2015, she established the Department of Justice’s first task force for digital-currency cases. So when Andreessen Horowitz was … [Read more...]

Indiana Sen. Mike Braun Michael Braun GOP Sen. Braun says abortion laws should be left up to states Sunday shows preview: Multiple states detect cases of the omicron variant Manchin to vote to nix Biden's vaccine mandate for larger businesses MORE (R) said on Sunday decisions on abortion laws should be left up to state governments to handle, as the Supreme Court weighs a case that could overturn Roe v. Wade. During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet The Press,” Braun told host Chuck Todd Charles (Chuck) David Todd GOP Sen. Braun says abortion laws should be left up to states Klobuchar says 'best way' to protect abortion rights is to codify Roe v. Wade into law NIH director says it's 'possible' omicron will not be last emerging variant MORE that letting states should decide whether to enact abortion laws was a practical solution to a highly charged political issue. “When it comes to things like abortion, I think it's clear it's time to turn … [Read more...]