California Attorney General Bill Lockyer calls an proposal recently submitted by the software giant "a minimalist opening offer" that is "far from adequate."
"The offer that Microsoft
has made thus far is not a substantial offer," said one official, who asked not to be named. "The states are still willing to receive a substantial offer from the company and are open to serious settlement discussions, but that hasn't happened yet."
The company's billionaire chairman, Bill Gates, is expected to visit Washington today as part of a previously scheduled tour to promote his new book.
Separately, attorneys general from the 19 states suing Microsoft also are meeting in Washington today for their annual conference, and they planned today to discuss the company's offer privately.
California Attorney General Bill Lockyer called the proposal "a minimalist opening offer...that is far from what anyone in our group would expect to be adequate," according to a report by Bloomberg. The proposal, which was delivered to the Justice Department and Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, was discussed in a conference call among other prosecutors Wednesday, according to Bloomberg.
Microsoft, which recently reiterated its willingness to settle the four-and-a-half month trial, also declined to provide specifics.
Word of the proposal comes as state prosecutors from across the nation meet in Washington for an annual meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General. Among the attendees are a number of assistant attorneys general overseeing the joint action against Microsoft, some of whom are believed to be charged with reviewing the proposal.