"Pay up, Maria!"

AG's office touts settlement from RealNetworks - Federal Way Mirror

RealNetworks, a Seattle-based digital media provider, will pay a $2.4 million settlement to customers regarding unfair and deceptive practices, most notably in it's practices with supposedly "free trials."

According to Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna's office, over 500 complaints have been filed to the AG's office over the last seven years regarding RealNetworks' "free" trials. Consumers reported "odd charges" showing up on credit card statements, being billed monthly for premium television services they never agreed to, and sports or game content that they never ordered.

For any non-Washingtonians, the title of this post alludes to the fact that Maria Cantwell, AKA "The smart one"*, made the pile of cash which she used to buy her seat in the Senate finance her campaign as an executive with Real Networks.  Turned out she didn't have as much as she thought, thanks to the Internet Bubble bursting, causing Bill Clinton's Recession.

*As opposed to our other Senator, Patty Murray, considered by her colleagues in Congress to be the Stupidest Senator.