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Durbin Commends Sinclair HDO, in Letter to Pai

Evidence received by the FCC suggested some of divestitures proposed in Sinclair buying Tribune “would have allowed Sinclair to control those stations in practice, even if not in name, in violation of the law,” said Chairman Ajit Pai in an…

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Aug. 3 reply posted Friday to a July letter from Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Illinois. Sinclair/Tribune was later withdrawn (see 1808090042), and Sinclair -- with Enforcement Bureau blessing -- asked the administrative law judge to terminate the proceeding (see 1808100026). Durbin commended Pai’s designating the deal for hearing, and condemned Sinclair’s response seeking to further amend the takeover. “Sinclair's recent announcement to submit yet another amended proposal serves as not only acknowledgment that their previous proposals failed to comply with the law, but also as a deliberate attempt to avoid having to defend these sham purchase agreements before a judge,” Durbin said.