Microsoft Deletes Ralph Reed

[LiviaOlivia]

June 1 - 7, 2005
Microsoft Deletes Ralph Reed

The company is ending its relationship with the choirboy-lobbyist, but its ties to others in the seemingly infinite loop of the Republican lobbying scandal are deep—in D.C. and Seattle.

by Rick Anderson

When it was recently revealed that Microsoft had employed religious conservative Ralph Reed as a political consultant, it was logical to wonder if his $20,000 monthly retainer was somehow related to the company's temporary refusal to support a gay-rights bill in Olympia, which failed. Maybe the fiercely antigay crusader with the choirboy looks would be there to guide Bill Gates through a nationwide boycott of software products, as threatened by Eastside minister Ken Hutcherson.

But as Jon Stewart put it on The Daily Show: Microsoft? "Afraid of a boycott? And you call yourself a heartless monopoly!" Indeed, the company has since thumbed its nose at Hutcherson and promises to support future gay-rights legislation. It also still heartlessly rules the computer desktop.

And as for Reed, if he ever had anything to do with Microsoft's role, or lack thereof, in this state's gay-rights debate, he won't next time. He's being deleted from the Redmond software giant's payroll, two company sources say, and he likely gets his last $20,000 check this month.

One source notes that Reed was on a Microsoft retainer while helping run the George W. Bush presidential campaigns of 2000 and 2004, raising ethical questions. But Reed now has gone a step further and filed to run for public office himself—lieutenant governor of Georgia, thought to be a step toward an eventual White House run. Having a political candidate on the payroll would be a clear ethical conflict for Microsoft. Spokesperson Ginny Terzano said that, as a matter of company policy, she couldn't confirm the recent divorce but noted, "If Century Strategies," Reed's consulting firm, "is no longer on retainer, it was a decision based on administrative reasons." Reed, who did not respond to repeated requests for comment, was on retainer with Microsoft for seven years after quitting his leadership position at the Christian Coalition and launching the private consulting firm in Atlanta.

~snip~

http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0522/050601_news_microsoft.php

[geckosfeet]

1. yes,,, and I am looking into Linux and other open source options,,,

[carnie_sf]

2. The stench

must have been overwhelming.

[indypaul]

3. Did MS not read his resume?

Former employment: ENRON
Perhaps MS is throwing this POS overboard before they
suffer the same fate.