The hell with Gavin Newsom, Xavier Becerra et al

 I'm talking about them signing off on the Paramount-Warner merger last week. 

One additional reason they caved, IMO, beyond Gov. Pothole wanting to be President Pothole and Becerra wanting to succeed him?

I doubt Paramount would have fully left the state. Couldn't afford to. 

But, Larry Ellison probably threatened to play the antisemitism card. 

Or, per Ellison's Oracle hat, he may have made other threats to suing states, like one to a New Mexico data center under development about not paying if it was delayed. Yes, that's Oracle, not Paramount, but he would have tied the two together. 

The fight may not be over, but with California AG Rob Bonta essentially being told to settle? It's not good. That said, the plaintiffs and friends of them, more, who want the suit to go forward, aren't alone in saying this is unenforceable. Read Capital and Main.

That said, the first piece from The Wrap doesn't mention that Bonta himself is running for re-election. He may have been told to settle, but he may have gotten hints.