Bush’s top “anti-trust” official backs Microsoft against Google
The top antitrust official at the U.S. Justice
Department last month backed Microsoft by urging state prosecutors to reject a
confidential complaint filed by Google.
The top antitrust official at the U.S. Justice Department last month backed Microsoft by urging state prosecutors to reject a confidential complaint filed by Google.
Google accused Microsoft of designing its Vista operating system to discourage use of Google’s desktop search program, lawyers involved in the case told the Times.
State officials told the NY Times that a memo by Thomas Barnett, an assistant attorney general, rejected the Google complaint, repeating legal arguments made by Microsoft.
The article said the memo was sent to state attorneys general around the United States and alarmed many of them, with some state officials saying they believed Google’s complaint had merit.
The New York Times said the action demonstrates that nearly a decade after the U.S. government began its landmark effort to break up Microsoft, the Bush administration has changed course by defending the company against accusations of anti-competitive conduct.
Surprise, surprise.
Posted: Mon - June 11, 2007 at 06:42 AM