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September 7, 2006

"A Pattie Dunn Program, 100%"

So says ex-HP board member Tom Perkins to ace Silicon Valley lawyer Larry Sonsini in a fascinating series of June emails on the ongoing HP scandal. Recall, HP chair Patricia Dunn had presided over an investigation of HP's own board that involved the use of dubious (and likely illegal) methods to uncover who had been speaking to media.

Here is Perkins from a June 20, 2006, email to Sonsini:

Dear Larry:

Thanks for your prompt reply, and I value the reminder that my director's responsibilties continue after my resigation, which is why, in part, I make the following suggestion: I think you, or someone from your firm, should check into the sub-rosa investigation of the director's [sic] communications at HP. Larry, the investigation was a Pattie Dunn program, 100% -- conceived and managed by her, and unknown to the board, except perhaps in the most vague and imprecise terms, with the possible exception of Mark, who she may have briefed.

In view of [a lawyer and fellow board member]'s unqualified opinion that it was illegal, the board needs to know the potential risks, if any. I resigned from the board and as chair of N&G committee before I could look into this personally. If it was illegal, it occurred under my purview, and on my watch, so to speak, and I would like to know whether or not I share some responsibility.

Thanks, Tom

If there was ever any doubt that Dunn needs to resign, that she was somehow duped into this by the ghost of Carly Fiorina, its likelihood is rapidly falling to zero.


An aside: Someone should point out to the Wall Street Journal that it hasn't done a great job of redacting all personal information from its collection of HP-related emails, subpoenas, etc. It's fairly straightforward to find out where ex-KP-guy Tom Perkins currently lives: a nice 7,000-square-foot place with an ocean view and a $4-million estimated value.

How's that for irony in a case fundamentally about privacy?

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