Just because you're too rich

doesn't mean you can control the spin. Microsoft stepped in it big time last week when they withdrew their support of an anti-discrimination bill before the Washington State Legislature after supporting it for the previous two years, apparently in deference to the threats of an evangelical pastor. First noted in The Stranger, and they're doing continuing coverage.

The Rev. Ken Hutcherson runs the Antioch Bible mega-Church (3,500 members and counting), with offices conveniently situated near the software behemoth in a mini-red state enclave just east of Seattle. He's organized anti-marriage equality rallies in the past, and let's just say he's a fire and brimstone kind of guy. He claims to have influenced Microsoft into withdrawing their support for House Bill 1515 by planning a boycott.

If I got God on my side, what's a Microsoft? What's a Microsoft? It's nothing.

This boycott concept has the FG v. curious. How exactly do you boycott Microsoft? The Antioch website, which I won't link to, is still up and running. Perhaps you stop using that annoying little paperclip that pops up when it thinks you need help writing a letter?

Microsoft employees woke up to discover that their LGBT-friendly company was, at best, neutral towards them when the chips were down. The bill failed to pass by one vote, and now the Rev. and various Microsofties (all of whom seem to be in Europe this month) are playing the "he said-he said" game. The other item that surfaced is that Ralph Reed has been on retainer as a communications consultant to Microsoft for the past few years. That's a pretty big tent they've got over in Redmond.