Jay Inslee: Washington's 1st Congressional District
Issues
Microsoft Trial
Reaction to Microsoft Decision
28 June 2001
Washington, D.C. – Below is U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee's reaction to the unanimous decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to vacate Judge Penfield Jackson's judgment on remedies. Inslee's congressional district includes the Microsoft campus in Redmond, WA.
"This decision is a stunning victory, both for Washington State and for the U.S. economy. It will allow the creative team at Microsoft to focus on their work.
This dramatic dropping of hammer by Court of Appeals allows the administration a window of opportunity, and an obligation, to step in and help bring a resolution to this trial. The dramatic reversal on remedies sends a strong signal, and leaves room to fashion a resolution that continues to allow Microsoft the ability to innovate and improve products, while honoring the government's concerns about conduct-related activity.
The Court of Appeals made a bold move by removing the trial court judge. This extraordinary move illustrates how strongly the Court felt that Microsoft did not get a fair trial. I am hopeful that the parties will sit down quickly, and resolve this trial without exposing the U.S. economy to another couple years of litigation. The U.S. economy needs a boost, not continued litigation, and we need the creative team at Microsoft to keep doing their great work. The Bush administration can and should urge the Justice Department to explore every avenue of settlement-- and quickly.
The door is now open for a settlement that does three things:
- Assures Microsoft's continued ability to innovate, and add new features to assist consumers;
- Assures no break up of Microsoft;
- Recognizes, to some degree, the conduct-related concerns addressed by the Court of Appeals.
Microsoft consumers, the company, and the whole U.S. economy will benefit from such a settlement."