Washington, D.C. - Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today released the following letter to Attorney General James E. Doyle of Wisconsin regarding the Microsoft antitrust case:

On behalf of the one million members and supporters of the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW), including the 18,700 in Wisconsin, I would like to congratulate you for agreeing to settle the Microsoft antitrust case.

To date, the Microsoft case has cost taxpayers at least $35 million at the state and federal level.  By making the decision not to continue with the litigation, you will be saving the residents of your state countless dollars in the future, not to mention taking a substantial step toward bringing certainty to the technology marketplace and encouraging new investment.

CAGW believes the money that would have gone toward this case will be better spent on the war against terrorism.  State and local governments now face unprecedented expenditures to protect their citizens as part of the homeland security required since 9/11.  Taxpayer resources must be focused on those immediate priorities.  We also hope the end of this case means that your state will restrain itself from future attacks on the technology industry.

At this stage of the litigation, there is ample common ground for the remaining states to follow your example.  Thank you again for your agreement to settle this matter and for saving valuable government resources.

CAGW is the nation's largest taxpayer advocacy group with over one million members and supporters nationwide.  It is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.