“The FCC’s approval of the Paramount-Skydance merger reeks of the worst form of corruption,” Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) said in a joint statement. “The stench of this transaction will linger over the Commission for years.”

The merger clears the way for an $8.4 billion sale of some of the most prominent names in entertainment, including CBS, Paramount, and Nickelodeon.

The Larry Ellison family and RedBird Capital Partners are expected to take control of Paramount in the coming days. David Ellison, 42, will serve as chairman and chief executive.