A federal U.S. judge has rejected DaimlerChrysler AG's final dismissal attempts in a lawsuit involving the merger of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler, saying evidence suggests the deal was a covert takeover from the outset. In a ruling filed yesterday in Delaware, U.S. District Judge Joseph Farnan Jr. denied a motion for summary judgment by the auto maker, setting the stage for a trial that is scheduled to begin Dec. 1.