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House Panel Subpoenas Three for HP Testimony
WASHINGTON
(Sept. 06) – Three people involved in Hewlett-Packard Co.’s efforts to
unmask a boardroom leak have been ordered to testify at this week’s
congressional hearing on the corporate spying scandal that’s so far
claimed the company’s chairwoman and two directors.The subpoenas are
the first issued by the panel in its investigation. They were served
over the weekend, according to a congressional aide who asked not to be
identified because the investigation is continuing.Until now, the
invitations to testify at Thursday’s hearing had been voluntary and
other witnesses had accepted them.The subpoenas from the House Energy
and Commerce Committee went to Kevin T. Hunsaker, the technology
company’s chief ethics officer; Anthony R. Gentilucci, who manages HP’s
global investigations unit in Boston; and Ron DeLia, the operator of a
detective firm hired by HP in the elaborate and intrusive investigation
to trace the source of a boardroom leak.HP spokesman Ryan Donovan said
Monday that Gentilucci has voluntarily resigned from the company,
effective Tuesday.Hunsaker is also reportedly being let go as part of a
housecleaning planned by HP’s chief executive, Mark Hurd, a person
familiar with the matter said last week. The person asked not to be
identified because the terms of their departure are still being
negotiated.Donovan had no comment on Hunsaker, other than that he is
still an HP employee.Also in response to the scandal, a coalition of
pension funds in New York, Connecticut and North Carolina – which
collectively own more than 30 million shares – filed a proposal Monday
with HP to allow shareholder-nominated candidates to run for board
seats.The Securities and Exchange Commission has scheduled an Oct. 18
meeting about whether to allow shareholders to submit their own
nominees in addition to those picked by the board.Determined to protect
confidential board discussions, then-HP Chairwoman Patricia Dunn hired
investigators who impersonated board members, employees and journalists
to obtain their phone records. The detectives also spied on an HP
director and concocted an e-mail sting to dupe reporter Dawn Kawamoto
of CNet Networks Inc.’s technology news site.Federal and
California prosecutors are pursuing criminal investigations of the
company’s leak probe.DeLia, who runs Security Outsourcing Solutions
Inc. of Needham, Mass., previously signaled that he would appear at the
hearing but might invoke his Fifth Amendment right against
self-incrimination and refuse to answer lawmakers’ questions. He had
requested a subpoena from the committee as a legal formality, the
congressional aide said.DeLia did not return messages seeking comment
Monday.Documents have shown how deeply the investigators intruded into
the personal lives of seven HP directors, two employees, nine
journalists and family members of the targeted individuals.Dunn, who
authorized the company investigation but has insisted she wasn’t aware
of the extreme tactics used, resigned Friday. Hurd, who immediately
succeeded her while retaining the CEO and president positions, called
the investigators’ tactics “very disturbing” and apologized to those
who were targeted in the investigation.Dunn and Hurd have agreed to testify at the hearing.
Hunsaker
in February pointed DeLia toward two board members he suspected of
leaking information to journalists and made specific requests that the
hired investigator obtain personal telephone records, a company
document obtained by The Associated Press shows.The Feb. 3 e-mail from
Hunsaker to DeLia contrasts with a Jan. 30 message in which Hunsaker, a
senior attorney in HP’s legal department, expressed his concerns about
the legality of the investigators’ methods in pursuing the company’s
leak probe.”Thanks Ron. I now strongly believe it’s Keyworth,” Hunsaker
wrote, referring to director George Keyworth, who resigned this month.
He also suspected another board member, Tom Perkins, who quit the board
this spring to protest the investigation’s tactics. He also asked DeLia
to find out more about Keyworth’s wife.”I also think Perkins is leaking
info for personal reasons, but I think BOTH January 23rd articles by
Kawamoto were leaked by Keyworth,” the e-mail continued. “Can you
please see if we can find out Marion Keyworth’s cell number and pull
those records?”HP shares, which took a hit Thursday after news reports
indicated Hurd might have played a greater role in the probe, gained 60
cents, or 1.7 percent, to close at $35.71 in Monday trading on the New
York Stock Exchange.
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