Talk about biting the hand that feeds you:
Billionaire investor Robert Rowling is facing a rebellion at his fitness chain Gold’s Gym after his $2 million donation to Karl Rove’s conservative group sparked protest from gay rights advocates.
Four San Francisco Gold’s Gym franchises are splitting away from the brand, which Rowling owns as part of his hospitality firm TRT Holdings. The director of Gold’s Gym Bay Area says his decision to leave stems from Rowling’s $2 million gift to Rove’s conservative PAC American Crossroads, which has given money to candidates with anti-gay views.
Now I don’t think that Rove is anti-gay, although it’s certain that, yes, some anti-gay Republicans will win House seats this year. It’s a small price to pay, however, to put a halt to President Obama’s agenda — which has hardly been gay-friendly, on DOMA and DADT.
That aside, Rowling showed some stupendously bad business judgement, even if his political judgement was (mostly) in the right place.
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