Core Viewpoint - A group of U.S. states is considering blocking Hewlett-Packard Enterprise's $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks, seeking to intervene in a case where the U.S. Department of Justice has proposed a settlement to allow the deal to proceed [1]. Group 1: Legal and Regulatory Actions - Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, along with attorneys general from six other states and Washington, D.C., expressed intentions to investigate what they describe as suspicious circumstances surrounding the settlement [2]. - The states aim to ensure transparency in the merger review process and to confirm that government officials are making decisions based on legal merits rather than political influences [2]. - If permitted by U.S. District Judge Casey Pitts, the states could request a halt to the integration of HPE and Juniper's businesses [3]. Group 2: Background of the Acquisition - The DOJ initially sued to block the acquisition, citing concerns that it would reduce competition, resulting in Cisco Systems and HPE controlling over 70% of the U.S. networking equipment market [4]. - The DOJ agreed to drop its claims in June after HPE committed to licensing some of Juniper's AI technology to competitors and divesting a unit focused on small and mid-sized businesses [4]. - Colorado was part of a coalition that urged further investigation into whether the settlement adequately addressed the DOJ's initial concerns and the influence of lobbyists connected to the Trump administration [5].