{"id":2643195,"date":"2026-08-11T14:36:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T18:36:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rob-bonta-calls-paramounts-threat-to-ditch-california-blackmail\/"},"modified":"2026-08-11T14:42:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T18:42:31","slug":"rob-bonta-calls-paramounts-threat-to-ditch-california-blackmail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rob-bonta-calls-paramounts-threat-to-ditch-california-blackmail\/","title":{"rendered":"Rob Bonta calls Paramount&#8217;s threat to ditch California &#8216;blackmail&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frob-bonta-calls-paramounts-threat-to-ditch-california-blackmail%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2643195&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>California Attorney General Rob Bonta accused Paramount Skydance of attempting to &#8220;blackmail&#8221; his office by threatening to leave the state unless settlement talks are held in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-us-banks-flee-left-wing-climate-coalition-ahead-of-legal-battle\/\" title=\"US Banks Abandon Left-Wing Climate Coalition Before Legal Clash\">pending antitrust lawsuit<\/a> over paramount\u2019s merger with Warner bros.Revelation. paramount&#8217;s CEO, David Ellison, reportedly plans to relocate the company out of California by October 1 if settlement discussions do not occur. Bonta has refused to settle, emphasizing that the case remains in court adn dismissing claims of political motivation, despite accusations suggesting so. Paramount has temporarily halted the merger but faces important financial penalties, including daily fees and possible a $7 billion termination fee if the deal falls through. The companies are set for trial in March 2027. Paramount has not commented on the relocation, but it is indeed considering states like Georgia, Texas, and Tennessee. Bonta remains firm against the merger, viewing it as illegal and harmful to competition and the California economy.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"60\">California<\/a> Attorney General Rob Bonta accused <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/paramount\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"16440\">Paramount Skydance<\/a> of trying to \u201cblackmail\u201d his office on Tuesday by threatening to leave the state unless he agrees to hold settlement talks in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/antitrust\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"1187\">antitrust<\/a> case against the company\u2019s merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Paramount CEO David Ellison <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MattBelloni\/status\/2087054987826467006\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MattBelloni\/status\/2087054987826467006\">reportedly plans<\/a> to take his business out of California as soon as Oct. 1 if Bonta refuses to engage in settlement talks to resolve the 12-state antitrust lawsuit.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/business\/4682914\/rob-bonta-paramount-threat-ditch-california-warner-bros-merger\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Rob Bonta calls Paramount\u2019s threat to ditch California \u2018blackmail\u2019 to force settlement talks<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/business\/4682459\/truth-social-early-access-trump-post-high-price-trump-media-second-quarter-assets\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Ten Truth Social customers for $100,000 early access to Trump\u2019s posts<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/business\/4677727\/fcc-tv-broadcasters-cap-remove-nexstar-tenga\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>FCC removes TV broadcasters\u2019 market share cap, opening the way for bigger mergers<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the past month, the Democratic attorney general has been resistant to the possibility of settling the case before heading to trial. After the latest reports of Paramount\u2019s plan to relocate, it appears he still holds that position.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn a span of weeks, Paramount agreed to halt the merger until a court decision or until June 2027, asked for a November trial, and is now back with another attempt to blackmail the state into letting an illegal deal through,\u201d Bonta <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AGRobBonta\/status\/2087207116767711437\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AGRobBonta\/status\/2087207116767711437\">posted on X<\/a>. \u201cParamount has lost the plot as it continues to lose in court. It didn\u2019t work the first time \u2014 on the eve of our July lawsuit \u2014 and it won\u2019t work this time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He is referencing last month\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semafor.com\/article\/07\/12\/2026\/paramount-weighs-leaving-california-over-warner-bros-rift\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.semafor.com\/article\/07\/12\/2026\/paramount-weighs-leaving-california-over-warner-bros-rift\">initial reports<\/a> about Paramount\u2019s possible exit from California, which came just before Bonta filed the lawsuit alongside New York Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/letitia-james\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"8955\">Letitia James<\/a> and 10 other attorneys general. The fact that all 12 plaintiffs are from blue states suggests the suit is politically motivated. Bonta denied that it was the case in his <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/2026\/08\/rob-bonta-up-ed-david-ellison-paramount-warner-bros-1237029737\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/deadline.com\/2026\/08\/rob-bonta-up-ed-david-ellison-paramount-warner-bros-1237029737\/\">Monday op-ed<\/a> for <em>Deadline<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Warner Bros. and Paramount \u201cwould have you believe that this is purely politics,\u201d Bonta wrote. \u201cIt\u2019s not. If it was, we would have been thrown out of court the day we filed.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Paramount has declined to comment on its possible relocation. The company is reportedly considering Georgia, Texas, and Tennessee as options. In a recent letter, Tennessee Deputy Gov. Stuart McWhorter urged Ellison to move Paramount there.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Notably, Oracle is planning to move its world headquarters from Austin to Nashville. The software company, which was co-founded by Larry Ellison, left Silicon Valley for Austin in 2020. Larry Ellison is David Ellison\u2019s father.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the meantime, Paramount and Warner Bros. are heading to trial for the antitrust case during two weeks in March 2027. Paramount previously agreed to delay its <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mergers-and-acquisitions\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"616\">merger<\/a> with Warner Bros. until June 1, 2027. Initially, Paramount was aiming to close the deal by the end of next month.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Paramount must pay its so-called ticking fee, starting Oct. 1, as part of the merger agreement. This means that the company has to pay Warner Bros. shareholders $7 million per day for every day after Sept. 30 that the $111 billion merger is not closed. By the trial\u2019s end date in early March, Paramount will have accrued more than $1 billion in total ticking fees. Should the proposed acquisition fail to close due to the antitrust case, Paramount owes Warner Bros. a $7 billion termination fee.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4681084\/rob-bonta-op-ed-lawsuit-paramount-warner-bros-merger\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4681084\/rob-bonta-op-ed-lawsuit-paramount-warner-bros-merger\/\">ROB BONTA DENIES ANTITRUST LAWSUIT AGAINST PARAMOUNT-WARNER BROS. MERGER IS ABOUT POLITICS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At this time, Bonta is proceeding to trial. There is no indication he is entertaining any settlement talks with the two studios. Bonta is up for reelection this year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis illegal merger will result in higher costs, fewer options, and fewer people making movies,\u201d he said. \u201cMy office remains committed to stopping illegal consolidation and protecting a vibrant California economy for businesses that play by the rules.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bonta: Paramount threatens to leave California over merger<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2159,"featured_media":2643196,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP25290648849054.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[37666,83993,54802,49879,38108],"class_list":["post-2643195","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-california-politics","tag-corporate-blackmail","tag-paramount-2","tag-rob-bonta","tag-state-legislation"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP25290648849054.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2643195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2159"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2643195"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2643195\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2643200,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2643195\/revisions\/2643200"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2643196"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2643195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2643195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2643195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}