Under openly gay CEO Tim Cook, Apple has done a lot to forward gay rights. A year ago, the company stood up against homophobic legislation going through Arizona and organized a company-wide march in San Francisco’s annual gay pride parade.

All in all, Apple’s one of the most gay-friendly companies you can work for. So here’s a shocker for you: When Apple figured out it had accidentally hired someone with a history of anti-gay activities, it quickly severed contact.

The hire in question was Jay Love, a former politician Apple hired to lobby on its behalf to the Alabama state legislature. The only issue? Love had a history of lobbying for anti-gay laws.

Buzzfeed, citing records from the Alabama Ethics Commission, says Apple recruited, then fired, conservative lobbyist Love after the company discovered the former state house speaker once sponsored legislation praising a beauty pageant contestant for opposing same-sex marriage.

As House speaker in the Alabama legislature in 2009, Love sponsored a resolution to give the state’s “highest commendations” to Carrie Prejean for publicly declaring her opposition to same-sex marriage during the Miss USA pageant. The legislation said the Southern state was honoring Prejean, who represented California, “for affirming her faith and standing true to her beliefs … and this resolution is offered to her in tribute and with admiration.”

Considering that Cook himself is from Alabama, and openly gay, is it any surprise that Apple distanced itself from Love?

Source: Buzzfeed