Oregon's Attorney General, Dan Rayfield, has asked a court to delay the closing of Paramount's proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by 60 days and to compel Paramount to hand over documents relating to the merger. A hearing is set for Monday in Multnomah County Circuit Court. The move matters because it adds a fresh legal obstacle to a deal that is still awaiting regulatory clearance in Europe and could reshape the media landscape.

Rayfield is seeking records of Paramount's lobbying of federal officials and its possible role in "composing or editing" a US Justice Department statement supporting the merger — an unusual step, as the DOJ typically comments only when challenging a deal. He referenced an internal lobbying effort allegedly named "Project Warrior" and suggested that any "corrupt bargain" behind approval would shape the state's investigation. Paramount has objected, calling the requests disproportionate and irrelevant to antitrust law, and citing attorney-client privilege and First Amendment protections. The DOJ approved the deal last month; Paramount says it will not close before 22 July, the EU decision deadline, while the UK Culture Secretary is "minded to intervene" and California's Attorney General weighs a challenge.