Washington state AG's office confirms Justice Department circulating AT&T Time Warner complaint

Reuters
FILE PHOTO: An AT&T logo and communication equipment is shown on a building in downtown Los Angeles, California October 29, 2014. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Washington state attorney general's office acknowledged on Wednesday that it was reviewing a draft complaint being circulated by the U.S. Justice Department regarding AT&T's (T.N) plan to buy Time Warner (TWX.N), confirming that the Justice Department has drawn up a complaint.

A spokeswoman for the state attorney general's office said that the complaint was being reviewed. The spokeswoman said that Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson has not yet decided whether to join a potential U.S. Justice Department effort to block the deal.

The U.S. Justice Department has approached 18 state attorneys general to try to win their support for an antitrust lawsuit to block pay TV and wireless powerhouse AT&T Inc's T.N $85.4 billion deal to buy media and entertainment company Time Warner Inc TWX.N, a person briefed on the matter said on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Diane Bartz)