The world's best-known consumer advocate charges that Microsoft Corp. is trying to discredit his conference and align other consumer groups against him. D.C. Also, Microsoft said it rejected a controversial proposal from a Washington communications firm that would attempt to turn public sentiment in its favor. We did not accept it. SAG's primary duties, he said, are to develop relationships between Microsoft and small business trade associations. Sources said specifics in the plan called for turning other consumer-group advocates away from Nader's position and trying to quell state attorneys general from conducting independent investigations into Microsoft's practices.
Several investigations are under way already.
One view of the plan is that it is little more than a stiff response to Nader's strong anti-Microsoft rhetoric. Still, John Richard, an activist working for Nader, was appalled. Shaw declined to name which groups. He would neither confirm nor deny existence of the proposal mentioned by Shaw but said he recognized some of the names of consumer advocates that sources said were in the proposal. He declined to reveal whether SAG is still retained by Microsoft.