California Attorney General Rob Bonta canceled a scheduled meeting with Paramount representatives on Monday, citing what he described as Paramount’s lack of good faith in settlement negotiations.
Bonta stated that Paramount had leaked the alleged substance of preliminary discussions and misrepresented their content, undermining the integrity of the process. The meeting, which had been intended as a preliminary step toward potential settlement talks, was called off late Sunday. A spokeswoman for Paramount declined to comment on Monday morning.
The dispute centers on Paramount’s proposed $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which is already the subject of lawsuits from 12 states seeking to block the deal. California’s opposition follows signals from Governor Gavin Newsom that he favored resolving the matter through settlement rather than litigation.
Bonta emphasized that Paramount’s actions had eroded trust, saying in a statement, "Not only did Paramount leak the alleged substance of settlement discussions, but they misrepresented these discussions, demonstrating a lack of good faith." He added that once Paramount engages sincerely, his office would be prepared to resume talks.
The cancellation of the meeting marks a setback for efforts to resolve the legal challenge without court intervention, though both sides had previously indicated openness to discussions.
