In a unique turn of events, the Department of Justice has sided with Microsoft over antitrust allegations leveled against the software maker by Google, which has complained to several state attorneys general that Vista purposefully discourages consumers from using Google.

The New York Times broke the news Sunday that Thomas O. Barnett, an assistant attorney general in charge of the antitrust division, sent a memo to several state attorneys general dismissing Google's claim. 

Despite Barnett's memo, several states said they plan to go ahead with an inquiry into Google's complaint.

The complaint, which alleges that Google's desktop search tool is slowed by Microsoft's competing application, has not been made public by U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, who will hold a hearing later this month to determine if Vista violates the 2001 consent decree.

As mega-mergers and acquisitions have become commonplace of late, antitrust accusations have been thrown at both Google and Microsoft alike. Google recently said it was not concerned about the FTC's probe into its DoubleClick acquisition.