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The controversy around HP's spy tactics continues to plague the Palo Alto company

Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Mark Hurd is again denying that he had knowledge of HP's illegal investigation into boardroom leaks to the media. The Congressional subcommittee that grilled HP executives in September has given Hurd additional questions he must answer – he said that they will be answered when the company's own review of the investigation is finished. Hurd claims that he was unaware of the methods HP hired investigators used to get information on board members and journalists.

HP released the questions and Hurd's answers yesterday, saying the inquiry was routine. Rep. Ed Whitfield, chairman of the oversight panel of the House Energy and Commerce committee, sent a letter on Oct. 17, and focused it on a July 22, 2005 HP meeting. Most of Hurd's answers to the letter were right in line with what he said during the testimony in Washington. Hurd's most frequent answer to the invesgiation has been: “Not that I recall.”

HP has been under constant fire after it was revealed that the Palo Alto company spied and illegally obtained personal phone records on board members and several reporters. HP has been working alongside Congressional investigators, California and federal workers. Hurd also disclosed that his phone records were accessed during the investigation.

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"Illegal Leaks"
By Dfere on 11/3/2006 9:49:22 AM , Rating: 2
I like how Congress likes to "investigate" things, and unlike the Justice Department, will not take the time to dispel erroneous media reports to describe what it is exactly supposed to investigate.

IMO the more hype for an investigation, the more is desired by Congress. From all reports I have been able to read, certain members of HP authorized one illegal act, which was obtaining social security card numbers, and I presume they pulled credit reports from this (which is also illegal). I have yet to find out why obtaining someone's phone number is illegal. There is no link directly, or indirectly, at this point, that I have read, that Hurd or any one left at HP had anything to do with the direct illegal acts. Yet every headline is talking about the "illegal investigation" as if everything they did was illegal, and Congress, and has said nothing about this.




RE: "Illegal Leaks"
By Pythias on 11/3/2006 12:43:38 PM , Rating: 2
Maybe you need to investigate further. They didnt just investigate employees but their families as well. And they didnt just obatain phone numbers but phone RECORDS.Also they were using spyware against non-emloyees as part of their investigation. Funny thing is according to them NOBODY is responsible. Saw the whole thing on c-span. :)


RE: "Illegal Leaks"
By boobot on 11/3/2006 1:45:31 PM , Rating: 2
C-span is my source for 100% factual information!


RE: "Illegal Leaks"
By Pythias on 11/3/2006 2:12:31 PM , Rating: 2
What? The hearing was staged?


RE: "Illegal Leaks"
By feelingshorter on 11/3/2006 3:01:23 PM , Rating: 2
I dont think he is being sarcastic at all. c-span usually do live hearings and interview, which gives you facts straight from the horses mouth. They don't seem like a traditional news channel with anchors/weather and such. There is also c-span2, which lets each channel be either liberal or conservative. Although I don't know which one is more of which.


RE: "Illegal Leaks"
By AxemanFU on 11/3/2006 5:27:25 PM , Rating: 3
Congress holds these things for political purposes as much as anything else. It gives the congresspersons more free facetime to pontificate about this or that, not to mention a massive ego trip by being able to mercilessly drill just about anyone in the country without having many of the restrictions that would be put on a court prosecutor or judge. It's a great way to create a media circus (or boost one) around a controversy or issue and take advantage of it. I've seen congresspersons blather for 5 or 10 minutes during a hearing before they get around to even asking a simple question. Is it a speech, or a hearing?

HP was totally screwing with privacy rights, there is no doubt, but congress is only trying to help itself to get re-elected with these stupid hearings they insist on having on everything. It just lets them pad their election year resumee..becasue they can say they were "concerned" about the issue and "held hearings" on it. Sometimes our govermnment officials are such a waste of oxygen, but we keep re-electing them.


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