Apple hired, then fired, anti-gay lobbyist
Apple recently hired and fired a politician known for his anti-gay views.
Apple hired Julius Kenneth Love, known as Jay Love, to work as a lobbyist in 2015. This is despite Mr Love’s anti-gay views and Apple’s history of supporting LGBT rights. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook spoke about being gay publicly for the first time last year.
However, in an email to Buzzfeed, Apple said “Jay Love does not work for Apple nor does he do any lobbying on our behalf.”
Mr Love, who used to be a Republican member of the Alabama House of Representatives, once sponsored a resolution to offer commendations to Miss California Carrie Prejean, for her public opposition to same-sex marriage.
According to Vicki Manning at the Alabama Ethics Commission, Mr Love was registered as a lobbyist for Apple, but out State Representative Patricia Todd said “[Apple] have terminated their contract with Jay Love.” Ms Todd is a sponsor of an anti-gay discrimination bill named after Apple’s Tim Cook. Mr Cook said he was “honoured” to have the bill named after him.
On World Aids Day last year, Apple turned their logo red on many of their stores in support.
