Overview
- Warren, in a Monday statement following Amazon’s March 30 reply, said the company’s answers were insufficient and called the deal “bribery in plain sight,” keeping the congressional probe active.
- Amazon denies any improper conduct and says the rights were won through a thorough, competitive bidding process based on the film’s access, story, and cultural relevance.
- Reports say Amazon MGM paid $40 million for distribution rights and roughly $35 million for marketing, with the offer $26 million above Disney’s bid and a box-office take of about $16.6 million worldwide.
- Warren and Rep. Hank Johnson asked Amazon to justify the valuation and disclose any talks with Melania Trump or administration officials, citing a law that bans offering anything of value to influence official acts.
- Reports from the lawmakers’ release put Amazon’s total outlay at least $75 million, including about $28 million to Melania Trump, and no charges or enforcement actions have been announced.