Gates May Back Gay Rights Bill

Redmond, VA () --Microsoft may rethink whether to support state legislation that would ban discrimination against gays and lesbians. In an interview with The Seattle Times, Chairman Bill Gates said he was surprised by the fierce criticism that followed the company's decision to no longer back a state gay rights bill it had supported in previous years.

"Next time this one comes around, we'll see," he said. "We certainly have a lot of employees who sent us mail. Next time it comes around that'll be a major factor for us to take into consideration." 

The legislation was rejected by one vote in the state Senate last Thursday, prompting outrage toward Microsoft among advocates for the legislation. 

The reaction was fueled in part by a story in The Stranger alternative newspaper that suggested Microsoft had caved to pressure from a fundamentalist Christian pastor. Microsoft denied that it had been influenced by the pastor or anyone outside the company. 

Gates says he was surprised by the response to the stories. "Well, we didn't expect that kind of visibility for it," Gates said. "After all, Microsoft's position on a political bill — has that ever caused something to pass or not pass? Is it good, is it bad? I don't know. 

Gates echoed the statement Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer made in an e-mail to employees on Friday, explaining that the company decided before the legislative session began that it should narrow its focus on a shorter list of issues directly affecting the business.

Two Microsoft employees testified in support of the anti-discrimination measure. The pastor, Ken Hutcherson of Antioch Bible Church in Redmond, then met with Brad Smith, the company's chief lawyer, and asked that the two employees be fired and that the company oppose the measure. Hutcherson said he threatened to organize a boycott of Microsoft if it didn't stop supporting the bill. 

Gates said he and Ballmer both support the measure personally but "we won't always pick every issue for the company to have a position on." 

Gates also noted Microsoft's generally progressive stance. "We as a company were amongst the first to have domestic-partner benefits, to have anti-discrimination things, and so in this general area we speak very clearly," he said. 

Advocacy groups still feel betrayed. The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center demanded the return of an award it gave the company in 2001.