U.S. Assails Microsoft and Resubmits Proposal for a Breakup nytimes.com
Another story I note mostly for entertainment.
The Justice Department denounced the Microsoft Corporation today, accusing the company of cynical, irresponsible behavior on the last day of its antitrust trial.
This is news? I don't know, exactly, what could be considered any more cynical and irresponsible here than Microsoft's trial "defense", such as it was.
At the end of the day on Wednesday, the brief noted, Microsoft entered into evidence an "offer of proof" listing 16 academic experts and Microsoft executives who would have been called as witnesses if remedy hearings had been held, including the company chairman, William H. Gates. A short time later, company representatives also handed out dozens of copies to reporters.
Uh huh. They could have brought up almost this whole stable at trial, instead of subjecting themselves to the amusing spectacle of seeing one "relatively junior executive" after another being strung up by their own email. Well, they did call their pet Schmalensee, but he didn't hold up very well either, as I recall.
Mr. Murray responded today: "That kind of attitude is completely unfortunate and completely groundless when you look at the facts. Microsoft lived up to its obligations in good faith, 100 percent."
My personal theory on Jackson's quick wrapup is that he's just getting sick of having to listen to Microsoft's pompous disingenuousity every day, followed by endless PR blather about how the trial doesn't matter, it'll all be reversed on appeal. I'd guess he doesn't expect to be totally upheld, but figures he'll get direct guidance from the Supreme Court about what the rules are before wasting more time dealing with clowns who prefer argument by press release to legal filings.
Cheers, Dan. |
