consulting firm run by a top adviser to Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush said yesterday that because of ''possible misperceptions'' it would cease efforts to influence Bush on behalf of client Microsoft.
The relationship between Century Strategies, an Atlanta political and corporate consulting firm led by former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed; Microsoft, the software behemoth; and Bush, the Texas governor and presumptive Republican nominee, drew attention after a report that Reed's firm encouraged influential individuals to write letters to the governor supporting Microsoft's side in the federal antitrust suit against it.
Century Strategies said yesterday that Microsoft became a client in 1998, well before Bush launched his campaign, and that neither Reed, who frequently appears on television as a Bush supporter, nor anyone from his firm had discussed Microsoft's case with the governor or his staff.
Still, after The New York Times spotlighted the relationship in a story published yesterday, Century Strategies called its letter-writing campaign ''an error that we regret.'' It announced that ''to avoid any further misconception'' it would stop soliciting letters to Bush on behalf of Microsoft or any other clients.
As far as Century Strategies knows, a spokesman said, the recent 10-day appeal for citizens to contact Bush resulted in only one letter to Bush's campaign.
The firm pointed out that it had also encouraged ''consumers and grass-roots citizens'' to write letters to other candidates, including the presumptive Democratic nominee, Vice President Al Gore. Those efforts might continue, a Century Strategies spokesman said, because Gore and other targeted political leaders are not clients of the firm.
In the antitrust suit brought by the US Justice Department, a federal judge ruled last week that Microsoft abused its monopoly in personal computer operating systems. The case is now in the so-called remedy phase, but Microsoft has said it will appeal the judge's decision.
The winner of November's presidential election could affect how the Justice Department continues to prosecute the case. Both Bush and Gore have been careful to avoid statements on the litigation.
Microsoft spokesman Mark Murray said the Redmond, Wash., company retained Reed's firm and others to combat its competitors' ''aggressive lobbying and public relations campaign against Microsoft.''
