Microsoft defends its ties to Ralph Reed

[shance]

Microsoft Defends Ties to Ralph Reed
Critics Want Conservative Consultant Fired

by Charles Pope

WASHINGTON -- Microsoft Corp. is paying social conservative Ralph Reed $20,000 a month as a consultant, triggering complaints that the well-connected Republican with close ties to the White House and to evangelist Pat Robertson may have persuaded the company to oppose gay rights legislation.

Reed, who got his start in politics by running the Christian Coalition for Robertson and who had a senior role in President Bush's 2004 campaign, is a leading figure in the social conservative movement that spearheaded opposition to gay marriage, stem cell research, abortion, gambling and other issues.

Microsoft spokesman Mark Murray said the company has hired Reed on several occasions to provide advice on "trade and competition issues." He said Reed's relationship as a consultant with the software company extends back "several years."

Reed's history with Microsoft, coupled with Microsoft's reversal on a gay rights bill for the state, unleashed a vocal backlash against the company yesterday. The bill, which would have made it illegal to discriminate against gays and lesbians in housing, employment and insurance, failed in the state Senate last week by a single vote. Supporters said that Microsoft's shift tipped the scales.

"Mr. Reed's policies are not the policies of Washingtonians, nor should they be the policies of a world-class leader like Microsoft," said George Cheung, executive director of Equal Rights Washington, a Seattle group whose stated mission is "ending discrimination of gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gendered persons in every corner of the state."

He added, "Microsoft's reputation as a fair-minded company is rapidly slipping away from them, and if Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer are really interested in running a fair-minded company, they would fire Ralph Reed today."

Invoices show that Microsoft is currently paying Reed's firm, Century Strategies, $20,000 a month.

Murray confirmed that the invoices, which were first reported by the Web log Americablog, were authentic.

But he disputed suggestions that Reed had any part in the company's decision to withdraw its support for the gay rights legislation.


http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0427-08.htm

[gratuitous]

1. "Trade and competition issues"

Okay, what does Ralph Reed know about trade and competition? I thought he was a weisenheimer political operative who would need a stepladder to see whale shit in the Marianas Trench.

[havocmom]

3. It's a 'protection racket' payoff.

Pay Reed or face a boycott movement because MS allows benefits to couples? I read some things about employees being very surprised about the payoffs to Reed considering MS positions on gay isses in WA state in the past.

Willing to bet Reed is strong arming Gates! What a hoot.

::havocmom wanders off whistling Onward Xian hustlers...::

[Enraged_Ape]

4. Microsoft is being extorted, plain and simple

There is not one thing that little weasel can provide Microsoft that is worth $20,000 a month. Not one.

This is so digusting, I can't even believe it.

[shance]

5. Brilliant minds :) I was wondering the same thing.

Paying him $20,000 a month to tell MICROSOFT about trade and competition.

Competition, maybe, one can look at Reed and figure behind the boy wonder act is probably the mind of quite a horse thief.

But trade?

[Democrats_win]

2. Neil Bush is being paid as a computer consultant. Y not RR?

Its not what you know, its who you know. Ya know?

Where's my hammer? I need to fix my computer.

[indypaul]

6. I wish Microsoft and Bill Gates

the same success as this POS former employer
"Kenny Boy" of Enron fame.

[shance]

7. You know, I wish we didn't have to feel that way, but

I tend to agree with you.

Certainly to the extent that I believe Microsoft and Bill Gates (and Ken Lay) have too much money and too much power, which breeds too many ammoral and wrongful acts taking place.