Five more Attorneys General, including two Republican AGs, have joined the antitrust lawsuit seeking to block the $6.2 billion dollar Nexstar/Tegna merger, expanding the plaintiffs to a total of 13 states.
The AGs also filed an amended complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.
The deal was approved by the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice but is on hold after the Federal judge granted a preliminary injunction halting the merger while litigation in this case proceeds.
“Antitrust enforcement is not political — it’s about protecting working families and helping ensure the benefits of a vibrant economy are for everyone, not just well-connected corporations. Today, five additional states join us in our challenge of the Nexstar/Tegna merger, now making this lawsuit a bipartisan effort,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta in announcing the additional plaintiffs. “This is not controversial stuff — this merger is illegal and will give Nexstar and Tegna the ability to control and raise prices, fire journalists, and dominate the media landscape. State attorneys general nationwide understand just how important robust antitrust enforcement is to American life, and what a rotten deal this is for consumers, for workers, for affordability, and for our local news. We welcome our sister states into the fray and look forward to fighting alongside them.”
Following the filing of the original complaint by eight AGs, all Democrats, on March 18, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California granted a preliminary injunction halting the merger of Tegna and Nexstar while litigation in the case proceeds.
The preliminary injunction followed a temporary restraining order granted in the challenge brought by DirecTV. The court has consolidated the states’ case with DirecTV’s related case. Defendants appealed the preliminary injunction to the Ninth Circuit, and Nexstar’s opening brief is due May 20, 2026.
In filing the amended complaint, state coalition now includes the Attorneys General of Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Virginia.
