BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE : MAY 15, 2000 ISSUE
GOVERNMENT Eight Ways to Burnish the Microsoft Image CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS Microsoft has given $1.5 million to candidates in both parties in the '99-'00 cycle. It is the ninth-largest corporate ''soft money'' donor, with gifts of over $860 thousand. CHARITABLE GIVING As part of a multimillion-dollar effort for worthy causes, the Gates Foundation donates $10 million to U.S. Capitol visitors center. THINK TANKS Writes six-digit checks to those it likes and cuts off those such as the American Enterprise Institute that don't toe the line. LEGAL PUNDITS Blue-chip law firms and legal experts hired by Microsoft present its side of the antitrust case. HIRED GUNS Built an in-house lobby shop of 14, up from none in 1995, and spent $4.6 million on lobbying last year. Signed up top Hill staffers as well as Bush and Gore advisers as lobbyists. SHELL GROUP Started pro-Microsoft trade associations, one of which is supposed to be a grassroots group--but it has few dues-payers. PUBLIC RELATIONS Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer appear in Microsoft's latest TV ads. The image campaign is estimated to run into millions. OPINION POLLS Microsoft-funded polls showing lack of public interest in Justice case are shopped to the media but don't mention company backing. DATA: BW _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ BACK TO TOP					RELATED ITEMS Microsoft's All-Out Counterattack TABLE: Eight Ways to Burnish the Microsoft Image TABLE: Working Both Sides of the Street INTERACT E-Mail to Business Week Online

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