That seems an overly salacious interpretation. You're reading from the same text that said he had nothing to do with the hiring.

Recommending someone with technical skills work at your startup only crosses a line when you're both porking them and directly making the hiring decision, which if we're taking this at face value, didn't happen.

True, but I think the point stands: it's not an impossible position, because the partner never had to work at Square in the first place. If he can get a job at Square, he could most likely get a job anywhere in SF/the Valley.

You wrote, “recommended him to Square for a job”

Keith wrote, “I recommended that he interview at Square.”

The first is a recommendation given to Square. The second is a recommendation given to the thus-far-anonymous party. Big difference.

Perhaps it will come out that Keith did put in a good word at Square, but thus far Keith is denying this.

That's not quite his story either -- his claim is that he suggested to his romantic partner that they apply at Square, and was not involved at all in the actual hiring.