(Washington, D.C.) – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), America’s largest taxpayer watchdog group, proclaimed today’s “finding of fact” ruling as a vindication of the Microsoft Corporation.  The ruling confirmed what Americans already know — that the software manufacturer is a tough competitor in a dynamic industry.

“Judge Jackson’s ruling confirms that the government’s case against Microsoft has been an inexcusable waste of taxpayer dollars,” remarked CAGW President Thomas A. Schatz.  “The Department of Justice (DOJ) has spent more than $30 million to prove that Microsoft is a tough competitor in a dynamic industry.  I could have told them that for free.”

Schatz believes the money wasted on the Microsoft case would have been better spent on other, literally life-and-death, problems.  “With 15,000 murders committed in this country every year, and 10,000 violent fugitives currently walking the streets, the Justice Department has better things to do than make a stink about Microsoft,” Schatz stated.

As the case moves forward, the weakness of DOJ’s case is likely to become even more apparent.  “DOJ’s antitrust lawyers have put on a great show,” Schatz quipped, “but now that the case is moving from the finding of fact phase to the finding of law phase, DOJ is going to have stop the theatrics and start practicing law.”

CAGW has been critical of DOJ’s prosecution of Microsoft since February, when the taxpayer watchdog group issued a report condemning the government for bungling high tech issues.  CAGW’s efforts to obtain documentation from DOJ on the cost of the case has been hampered by the department’s refusal to release more than the most superficial information, despite repeated Freedom of Information Act requests.

“This case proves that taxation and regulation through litigation is completely inappropriate in a free-market economy,” Schatz concluded.  “Pulling the plug on this case now will save taxpayers millions of dollars, and allow Microsoft to go back to helping consumers through innovation and competition.”

CAGW is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.