California Attorney General Rob Bonta is facing increased scrutiny over his past engagement with actor Mark Ruffalo, following Ruffalo's recent public statements that have been widely condemned as antisemitic.
Ruffalo took to Instagram last week to criticize the proposed $110 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance. He advanced a conspiracy theory suggesting that Larry Ellison, father of Skydance CEO David Ellison, is using his company Oracle's alleged ties to Israel to finance the deal, which Ruffalo claimed would lead to media conglomerates being used against the public.
He further described the conflict in Gaza as a "genocide" built on an "apartheid system of oppression powered by Oracle." Paramount responded by stating they were "troubled when antisemitic tropes are invoked in purported service of a business dispute."
Ruffalo's remarks have drawn parallels to similar statements he made in May 2021, for which he later apologized, acknowledging that his claims of Israel committing "genocide" were inaccurate and inflammatory, used to justify antisemitism.
The situation has become Bonta's concern because of his prior public interactions with Ruffalo regarding the merger. In February, Bonta responded directly to Ruffalo on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "Mark, I hear you. I’m in conversation with my AG colleagues about Paramount/Warner Bros. As the epicenter of the entertainment industry, California has a special interest in protecting competition."
In May, The New York Times reported that Bonta met with Ruffalo at a session arranged by the Democracy Defenders Fund, where Ruffalo urged him to sue. In July, Bonta's office filed a lawsuit challenging the merger, a case that Ruffalo has become a public face for.
Critics argue that by engaging with Ruffalo on the merger and acknowledging his concerns, Bonta now bears responsibility for Ruffalo's subsequent statements. The article notes that while Paramount reportedly met with Bonta, the Jewish community, advocating against antisemitism on college campuses, has faced delays in getting similar attention.
The National Jewish Advocacy Center has filed California Public Records Act requests for Bonta's communications related to the merger, seeking to understand the extent of his interactions and the information he received. Bonta has dismissed these requests as "completely meritless and silly."
Critics contend that Bonta should publicly disavow Ruffalo's antisemitic comments, stating that the state's case is solely based on market structure and not on inflammatory rhetoric. They argue that he should address the concerns of the Jewish community with the same responsiveness he has shown to Ruffalo, and ensure that any future discussions or legal actions concerning the merger focus strictly on antitrust issues without incorporating prejudiced claims.