Another States' setback
Reuters | at | by Mike
A federal judge Tuesday rejected criticism that Microsoft Corp. failed to disclose fully the machinations that led to its antitrust settlement with the Justice Department. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that Microsoft had provided enough details about its contacts with the government to satisfy the legal requirements for antitrust settlements. "Although Microsoft clearly could have been more fulsome in its descriptions, because the statute does not mandate the release of particular details relevant to a defendant's communications with the United States, the court finds that Microsoft's disclosure is sufficient to satisfy (the law)," Kollar-Kotelly said in the ruling.
In Tuesday's ruling, the judge took a preliminary step toward that decision, concluding that Microsoft and the department had complied with all the legal requirements in negotiating the settlement. "We're pleased the court affirmed our position," said Microsoft spokesman Jim Desler. She also concluded the law does not require the company to disclose its contacts with lawmakers in Congress, as some critics had argued. "The details demanded by (critics) go well beyond this basic function and likely would do little to inform the court's assessment of the public interest," the judge wrote.