WASHINGTON - November 16 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) submitted a letter to the Federal Communications Commission Tuesday calling on the agency to deny approval for the proposed merger between Comcast and NBC Universal based on a failure to meet public interest requirements, the likely harm to competition, and the anticipated rise in cable rates. The letter also criticized Comcast for moving to restructure NBC while the deal is still pending before the FCC and Justice Department.

Joel Kelsey, political adviser to the Free Press Action Fund, made the following statement:

"Comcast is already rearranging the deck chairs at NBC with little regard for the antitrust review in progress at the Department of Justice and the FCC, and we are glad to see leaders in the Senate like Bernie Sanders speaking out. Comcast would like to pretend this is already a done deal and hope no one else notices what a disaster this merger would be for the public -- but that won't work.

"Comcast is expected to spend $100 million trying to push through this deal. Unfortunately in politics today, money too often buys silence. But, we hope more leaders will join Sen. Sanders and other members of Congress in calling on the FCC to protect competition and consumers in reviewing this merger."