NEW YORK, March 5 (Reuters) – Former Attorney General John
Ashcroft, who sent a letter this week to his successor Alberto
Gonzales blasting the proposed merger of Sirius Satellite Radio
Inc. (SIRI.O: Quote, Profile , Research) and XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. (XMSR.O: Quote, Profile , Research),
approached XM in the days after the merger was announced
offering the firm his consulting services, a spokesman for XM
said, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
The spokesman said , the Journal reported.
Ashcroft was subsequently hired by the National Association
of Broadcasters, which is fiercely opposed to the merger. On
its behalf, he conducted a review of the effects on competition
if the two satellite radio companies were allowed to merge, the
Journal reported.
In a letter sent to Gonzales Feb. 27, Ashcroft concluded
the merger would have a significant negative impact on
competition in the market and urged the current attorney
general to withhold approval for the merger, the Journal said.
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