AT&T's M&A Fumble Still Leaves CEO With More Wins Than Losses
- Stephenson has pushed through 33 deals during 11-year tenure
- Gaffe renews memories of AT&T’s prior missteps in Washington
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AT&T Inc. made an embarrassing lobbying gaffe by hiring President Donald Trump’s personal attorney for help with its $85 billion takeover of Time Warner Inc.
The proposed deal still got slapped with a Justice Department lawsuit, and AT&T Chief Executive Officer Randall Stephenson seemingly got little in return for the roughly $600,000 paid to the firm of lawyer Michael Cohen. He admitted as much in a memo to employees this week, calling the move a giant misstep.