U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi addressing the White House press corps last month. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Logo text Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) are calling on Attorney General Pam Bondi to recuse herself from regulatory review of any Warner Bros. merger. In the letter, Warren and Blumenthal cited "potential conflicts of interest" for Bondi due to the six years she spent at her former employer, the lobbying firm Ballard Partners. Since Bondi was nominated to the post of Attorney General, the letter notes that Ballard has signed on both Netflix and Paramount as clients. And, according to disclosures from October, Ballard lobbies for both companies and was involved in the Paramount-Skydance merger. Related Stories TV Neil Patrick Harris on the 'Is It Cake?' Vibes of His New Netflix Game Show 'What's In the Box?' Movies How Corporate Drama Is Making 'Sinners' an Oscar Favorite "In line with our anti-corruption oversight and legislative priorities, and given the cloud of corruption surrounding this merger and your former employer Ballard's potential role in this merger, we ask that you recuse yourself from the review of this purchase," the letter reads. A DOJ spokesperson had said that Bondi would lead the Trump administration's review of the merger, alongside DOJ antitrust head Gail Slater. The letter further claims that Ballard has been "enmeshed in the cloud of corruption surrounding the White House," amid reports that Ballard lobbyists connected corporate clients with fundraisers for President Donald Trump's ballroom. This is just one example of the close relationship between Ballard and the White House, according to the letter. The call for recusal comes the same day that Warner Bros. rejected Paramount's $30 per share hostile bid for the company. Netflix had the winning bid as of Dec. 5, with an offer of $27.75 per WBD share, but with plans to only buy Warner Bros. studios and streaming assets, and to spin off WBD's cable networks. Paramount could choose to submit a higher bid, Netflix will have the chance to match it, or respond with their own counter, effectively kicking off a new bidding war. "DOJ must guarantee that any review of a potential Warner Bros. transaction is decided based upon the law, not perverted by political favoritism and cronyism-particularly given the stakes of this case for consumers. Regardless of which of these two giant media conglomerates wins the bid for Warner Bros., a takeover will further consolidate the media market-risking higher prices and less variety for consumers," the letter reads. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up Podcasts Lemonada CEO Steps Down, Names Co-Founder As New Chief UTA UTA, CAA Unveil Dozens of Year-End Promotions In Agency Ranks Warner Bros. Discovery Media, Telecom Deals Value Soars on Mega-Mergers - And That's Before Warner Bros. Jimmy Kimmel FCC Chair Deflects Responsibility on Kimmel, Says Agency Is Not Independent initial group TPG-Backed Initial Group Acquires Digital Media Management Company Silver Tribe Media Podcasts Netflix Strikes Video Podcast Deal With Barstool Sports Podcasts Lemonada CEO Steps Down, Names Co-Founder As New Chief UTA UTA, CAA Unveil Dozens of Year-End Promotions In Agency Ranks Warner Bros. Discovery Media, Telecom Deals Value Soars on Mega-Mergers - And That's Before Warner Bros. Jimmy Kimmel FCC Chair Deflects Responsibility on Kimmel, Says Agency Is Not Independent initial group TPG-Backed Initial Group Acquires Digital Media Management Company Silver Tribe Media Podcasts Netflix Strikes Video Podcast Deal With Barstool Sports