Washington, DC – Ed Black, President & CEO of The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), released the following statement today in response to Sun Microsystems filing a private antitrust lawsuit that seeks remedy for Microsoft’s illegal conduct in maintaining and expanding its illegal monopoly:
“This suit comes after 9 federal judges have ruled that Microsoft illegally maintained a monopoly and engaged in anticompetitive action. It gives another judge the opportunity to rule in this case and help stop the continued anticompetitive lawbreaking by Microsoft.
“This suit, indeed all of the private lawsuits, are even more necessary in light of the collapse of federal leadership in this case. As demonstrated via the continuing Tunney proceedings, Microsoft has not reformed, nor is it on the verge of doing so. The private suits are a supplementary mechanism to insure a resolution of this matter that will be fair and equitable and restore balance to the marketplace.
“The suit has the potential of serving not just the legitimate private interests of the company involved, Sun, but of serving the broad public interest by trying to reign in an unrepentant, rampaging, recidivist law breaker. Given the tremendous amount of evidence proven in related court proceedings, and the extent to which the trial burden in this case is thereby reduced, it is only logical that Sun would decide to act to enforce its rights and utilize the proofs already made.”