FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: September 16, 2011
Contact: Jenn Ettinger, 202-265-1490 x 35

WASHINGTON -- On Friday seven state attorneys general joined the Department of Justice lawsuit to block the AT&T–T-Mobile merger. Attorneys general from New York, Washington, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Ohio and Pennsylvania, representing more than one-third of the American population, signed on.

Free Press President Craig Aaron made the following statement:

“We applaud the attorneys general who joined the Justice Department's suit today to block AT&T’s takeover of T-Mobile. They deserve praise for standing up to AT&T and standing with their citizens. They understand that families can’t afford to shoulder the burden of higher bills that would result from the merger, and that states struggling with unemployment can’t afford to stand aside while corporations kill competition and put people out of work. This lawsuit is yet another blow to AT&T and a victory for the public.

"AT&T's propaganda and political posturing aren't working in the face of such overwhelming opposition and evidence against this deal. Both the attorneys general and the Justice Department examined the facts of the case, and the facts are clear: This merger will raise prices, kill competition and put thousands of Americans out of work at a time of skyrocketing unemployment.”

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