SEATTLE − An attorney for Washington state opened the antitrust case against the proposed $25 billion Kroger merger with Albertsons by unleashing a torrent of harsh language: he quoted the emails, texts and other messages of grocery executives,

During opening statements of Washington state’s case against the Kroger, Albertsons merger Monday, attorneys representing the state’s attorney general’s office made the argument that if the $24.6 billion merger deal goes through, it could negatively alter the grocery landscape in Washington State.

The case is one of three challenging the $24.6 billion deal, which was announced nearly two years ago. The Federal Trade Commission is currently fighting the merger in federal court in Oregon, where closing arguments are expected Tuesday. (Oregon has joined in that case.) Colorado has also sued to block the merger.