Rubio Seeks CFIUS Review of AT&T Sale of Central European Media Group Stake
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., seeks Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. review of national security implications of AT&T’s upcoming sale of its majority stake in Central European Media Group Enterprises to Czech Republic-based private equity firm PPF Group. AT&T…
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said in October it would sell its share of CME for $1.1 billion in cash and be relieved of a $575 million debt guarantee. The Trump administration “needs to conduct closer reviews of corporate deals like AT&T’s sale of CME, and understand how the Chinese government and Communist Party work through proxies like PPF,” Rubio wrote Attorney General William Barr and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, released Wednesday. “Failure to do so undercuts U.S. diplomatic efforts aimed at countering the Chinese Communist Party’s political interference.” PPF and CEO Petr Kellner “have a record of acting as China’s proxies inside the Czech Republic” and “have supported China’s malign activities abroad,” Rubio said. PPF “has already used its expected acquisition of CME's Czech media outlets to intimidate Czech media and politicians into silence.” AT&T didn’t comment Thursday.