UPDATED: The US Justice Department may be the gang that can't shoot straight, but they're not out of ammo just yet in the case of AT&T and Time Warner.

Bloomberg and other outlets have reported that the Justice Department is intending to appeal US District Court for DC Judge Richard Leon's ruling on June 12, when he approved the $84 billion combination of AT&T and Time Warner with no restrictions. (See AT&T Wins Big, Gets Bigger: Judge Approves AT&T-Time Warner Merger and AT&T Closes $84B Time Warner Takeover).

"The department's antitrust division filed a notice of appeal Thursday in Washington federal court," Bloomberg reports.

AT&T, as you'd expect, is hammering the angry emoji icon.

"The Court's [June 12] decision could hardly have been more thorough, fact-based, and well-reasoned," noted David McAtee, AT&T General Counsel, in a statement posted on the operator's website late Thursday. "While the losing party in litigation always has the right to appeal if it wishes, we are surprised that the DOJ has chosen to do so under these circumstances. We are ready to defend the Court's decision at the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals," he added.

We'll keep you updated as more information becomes available.

— Phil Harvey, US News Editor, Light Reading