HP Said To Be Readying Appeal To Congress For Greater Surveillance Powers
Dunn Echoes President, Calls Employees Who Tolerate Leaks “Appeasers”; May Bring In Cheney, Rumsfeld For Pep Talks
Embattled Hewlett Packard Chairwoman Patricia Dunn, according to a source inside the company, is preparing to head to
The situation exploded earlier this week, after HP Board Member Tom Perkins resigned, in protest, over the dismissal of fellow board member George ``Jay'' Keyworth, who Dunn alleges was the person leaking information.
According to Perkins, Dunn used private investigators to pour through board members’ telephone records through the method of “pretexting”. Pretexting is illegal under federal law and
California Attorney General Bill Lockyer has opened an investigation and issued subpoenas Wednesday to determine whether laws were broken
“I have no settled view as to whether or not the chairwoman's acts were illegal, but I do think they were colossally stupid,'' Lockyer said in an interview with the
Lockyer also said that it is likely criminal charges will be filed will be filed, however no final decision has been reached, with the investigation still on-going.
Dunn To Link Actions With Global War On Terror
According to the source who spoke with The Garlic, Dunn is setting up to do battle and will soon leave for Washington, D.C., to meet with the California delegation in Congress as to adding an amendment to pending legislation that President Bush is asking Congress for, in granting greater surveillance powers.
“Dunn plans to lobby,” said the source inside HP, “that, since HP has government contracts, HP is on the front of the global war against terrorism. Any leaks about HP business amount to treason, and any persons with knowledge about the leaks, that doesn’t come forward, are appeasers.”
Much like the President, Dunn will seek in legislation, provisions that will cover surveillance actions taken prior to the legislation, again, citing the “national security” aspect of HP’s government contracts.
Additionally, according to the source, who is close to the HP Board, Dunn will visit with Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and extend an invitation to both, to come out to the
In recent speeches, President Bush, and both Cheney and Rumsfeld, have defended the Administration’s policies in
There’s speculation that Dunn may even offer to host President Bush, for one of his current “Bushapalooza Tour” appearances and have him deliver one of the Nazi speeches at Hewlett Packard.
Dunn Not New To Ruffling Feathers
This is not Dunn’s first brush with controversy at Hewlett Packard.
In 2005, Dunn initiated the unusual move of replacing ousted CEO Carli Fiorina by filling the position with an auction on eBay for “CEO-For-The-Day”.
Dunn stated that the auction would likely generate bids of "high six, maybe even, seven-figures", and help offset the $21-million severance package given to Fiorina.
“She’s really doing a tap dance there,” says Daria Pannesi, editor of 'In The Loot', the newsletter for high tech dollar traders. "If she can pull this off, and avoid criminal charges, I wouldn’t be surprised if, after the dust settles, you see the White House tap her for a position. She’s playing hardball and that would make her their kind of player.”
Emersed in a scandal of spying on her board members, Hewlett Packard Chairwoman Patricia Dunn is expected to play hardball by seeking approval from Congress for greater surveillance powers
