Microsoft's anti-Google lobbyists, revealed
If it wasn't official before, we have it in writing now: Microsoft is directing at least a small fraction of its massive (by tech industry standards) lobbying shop toward Google's proposed purchase of DoubleClick.
Thomas Boggs
(Credit: Patton Boggs)
According to
Their charge, according to the paperwork? "Competitive issues surrounding Google-DoubleClick merger."
As the Federal Trade Commission continues to weigh whether the the $3.1 billion deal passes antitrust muster, Microsoft has made no secret of its concerns, which center on claims that the merger raises serious competitive questions in the online-ad space.
Google, meanwhile, has repeatedly said it's confident that the acquisition will benefit consumers and that the threat from its rival can be contained.
Although the filing is marked as received on August 9, the "effective date" of the lobbyists' registration is actually May 15. That's around the same time Google disclosed that it had picked up four new lobbyists, including a former high-ranking Department of Justice antitrust lawyer, to help make the case for its buy. Neither company has agreed to talk in more detail about its lobbying efforts.
It wasn't immediately clear whether the timing of Microsoft's latest lobbying filing has anything to do with sealing its own ad buy--a $6 billion takeover of the firm Aquantive--last Friday. That deal had already cleared an antitrust waiting period with federal regulators.
The Associated Press first noted Microsoft's new disclosure in a Wednesday story.
what is this world coming too?!?
next i guess we will find out that the pope is catholic......
Some may argue about his christianity, but Catholic.. that he is.
MS would be playing 'stupid' if they didn't
So, what is new about this news? It talks about Microsoft. Many people believe that Microsoft is doing evil, and they are looking for evidence. This is exactly what people want to read. In fact if you open any old text book about the evils of politics and capitalism (especially text books in old socialist Russia and China), you can easily find a lot evils of Microsoft.
:)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/06/26/microsoft_google_desktop_search/
google asked for it, kudos's to MS.
- they could have tried harder
- by unibomber44 August 18, 2007 9:06 PM PDT
- Microsoft is so pathetic. They lost the Doubleclick fight because
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(12 Comments)their business development guys f***ed up. Valued the
company improperly. Bid for exclusivity arrogantly, like they
always do. Then got all upset when Google bid more than them.
Then tried to bid more, and got upset again when that bid was
turned down.
Now they opt for the antitrust argument. Which will lose just
like all the other half-baked efforts over the last couple years.
They bought AdECN like suckers, and then paid about $3B too
much for Atlas. And they wonder why they're an also-ran.
It's always too little, too late with these guys, from Ballmer on
down. That's why Gates puts all his money in his own
foundation, that's why anyone of talent goes elsewhere, and
tha's why the stock's been flat since Clinton was president.