San Francisco Chronicle
Business Section, front page
Wed, April 12, 2000

Bush Consultant
Apologizes for
Microsoft Lobbying

Ralph Reed, a senior consultant to Gov.
George W.  Bush's presidential campaign,
apologized for lobbying the governor on
behalf of Microsoft Corp. and promised
not to lobby him again on behalf of Mi-
crosoft or anyone else. "It is an error that
we regret," said a statement issued by
Reed's office at Century Strategies, the lob-
bying and political consulting firm he
heads.  The Bush campaign, obviously irri-
tated to learn that one of its senior consul-
tants was also lobbying the campaign be-
hind the scenes, said Reed "made the right
decision," adding, "We're pleased that he
will cease his effort to lobby the governor
on this issue." A campaign official said the
governor had not known that Reed's orga-
nization was lobbying.