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US: DOJ’s Baer not included in Comcast, TWC merger review

By  |  March 6, 2014

The US Department of Justice confirmed Thursday that it would review the proposed buyout of Time Warner Cable by rival Comcast in a $45 billion acquisition, but the head of the DOJ’s Antitrust Division will not be participating in the case.

Reports say Bill Baer recused himself from the review due to conflicts of interest. Specifically, Baer worked as a lawyer at Arnold & Porter and, while at the firm, represented NBC-Universal and General Electric in their own transaction with Comcast in 2011.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Renata Hesse will instead lead the merger review, say reports.

The DOJ announced it will take on the case as the Federal Communications Commission plans to conduct its own review of a transaction that has earned much criticism since it was first announced.

Full Content: National Journal

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