Attorney General Lockyer's Statement on Microsoft

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – California Attorney General Bill Lockyer today issued the following statement regarding the Microsoft antitrust settlement talks:

"The last time I saw a public policy issue as important and difficult as Microsoft decided under impossible time constraints and without a chance for adequate public review was when California passed its electricity deregulation bill. I'm not about to stand by and see that happen again. Whatever the U.S. Department of Justice decides to do, I'm going to continue to urge the states to take the review time we need to fully understand every word and every implication in the proposal before we decide whether to settle. Doing anything less would be irresponsible and I'm confident the court will agree. We intend to complete our review as expeditiously as possible."