George Spix
March 5, 2001 George Spix is a software architect for Microsoft, but he might as well be the company's ambassador to Washington. Spix, who served on Clinton's Information Technology Advisory Council, helped reverse a government plan that would have limited distribution of encryption software. With his campaign contributions to the GOP during the last election, he has been solidifying his ties to President Bush, perhaps in the hope that the new administration will soften the antitrust decree ordering Microsoft to split itself in two. With John Ashcroft as attorney general, analysts say, Microsoft has a much better chance of winning its appeal. Ashcroft will have the final say in how to proceed with the case, and although his boss hasn't said exactly what he'll do, Bush has already hinted at his dislike of the antitrust suit. But Bush's opinion isn't the only incentive Ashcroft has to rule in favor of the software giant. Microsoft's political action committee -- to which Spix contributed more than $11,000 -- contributed $7,000 to Ashcroft's unsuccessful Senate campaign last year. Spix also made donations to the Club for Growth, a political action committee whose mission is to "help support political candidates who are advocates of the Reagan vision of limited government and lower taxes." -- Helene Blatter | | |
