FC: Did Microsoft foes bribe states to pursue antitrust suit?

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

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Date: Mon, 1 Apr 2002 09:21:58 -0500 (EST)
From: "John F. McMullen" <observer () westnet com>
Subject: Novak: Anti-Microsoft Scandal

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/robertnovak/rn20020401.shtml

Anti-Microsoft Scandal
by Robert Novak

WASHINGTON -- California State Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer, a 60-year-old
veteran of 30 years in Democratic politics, was in Washington two weeks
ago for the national conference of state attorneys general and dropped by
a federal district courtroom for an hour or so. In progress was the latest
stage of antitrust proceedings against Microsoft. His interest may have
been stimulated by the more than $75,000 in campaign contributions from
corporate rivals of the embattled technology giant.

Lockyer was one of nine state attorneys general who dissented from the
U.S. Justice Department's agreement to settle the Microsoft case. He was
not the only one who visited the Washington courtroom, and not the only
one receiving contributions from Microsoft's foes. Contributions to
Lockyer are just a little larger, and the consequences greater. University
of Texas economist Stan Liebowitz has calculated that Lockyer and his
colleagues could cost California's software developers and consumers $80
billion over the next three years.

While Democrats have trouble pinning Enron's campaign contributions to
Bush administration policy, it is easier to connect the dots in the
Microsoft case. The company's competitors want to continue antitrust
litigation, and state legal officers are helping after receiving
contributions. It looks like more of a political scandal than Enron.

[...]

In open court last week, Microsoft lawyers revealed an April 2000 e-mail
from the Utah attorney general's office to Novell asking help in drafting
language in a possible negotiated settlement that would benefit the
company's products. Lawyer Wayne Klein asked for "guidance ... preferably
without involving too many people seeing this language."

[...]




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