Fine Line Between Settlement And Bribe In Microsoft's Anti-Trust Suit
from the quite-a-deal dept
Earlier this month, there was a lot of news over the Computer and the Communications Industry Association's anti-trust settlement with Microsoft. Microsoft agreed to pay up $19.8 million. However, what wasn't covered was what happened to all of that money. It turns out that nearly half of it, $9.8 million is going straight into the CCIA President's pockets. As a reward for settling with Microsoft, he gets to keep half the settlement. No wonder the CCIA was willing to stop pursuing a whole variety of lawsuits around the world aimed at Microsoft's anti-trust practices. You could understand a settlement where those who were harmed by Microsoft's actions share in the settlement, but when the guy who negotiated the settlement ends up with $9.8 million, it starts to look suspiciously like a payoff more than a settlement.
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1/2 vs. 1/3?
Ok, so 1/2 of the settlement makes this look like a payoff, but 1/3 looks like a crucial public service? I guess plaintiffs' lawyers have a nice fat 16 2/3% cushion in case their health care costs go up, or their stock investments don't do so well, or those Escalades go up in price more than one of those silly coupons is worth.
Ugh. Just a rant. Happy Thanksgiving anyhow!
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