Naiveté of HP's Dunn inspires religious moment
PrintCongressman moved by ignorance
Posted in Financial News, 28th September 2006 20:09 GMT
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Hailed as a savvy business executive, former HP Chairman Patricia Dunn has come off as not terribly bright, during testimony today in front of a congressional subcommittee. That is at least if you take Dunn at her word – given under oath.
HP's now infamous investigative team told Dunn that techniques being used to obtain the phone records of directors, employees, reporters and their families were likely legal. Dunn claims that she took the staffers at their word and did not think it at all curious that such records could be acquired with ease.
"My understanding was that these records were publicly available," Dunn said, while giving testimony today about HP's spy scandal. "I thought a year ago, I thought six months ago that you could" call up a phone company and just ask for someone else's phone records.
"You honestly believed that it was that simple - that anybody in the world can call up and get them," asked Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR).
"It really didn't surprise me," Dunn said.
Dunn also battled with Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX) on this front. Barton asked if Dunn would just turn over her phone records to the Congressman.
"In your position, I would give you my phone records," she said.
"Well, praise the lord," Barton replied. "I wouldn't give you mine."
"I hope that doesn't mean you have something to hide," Dunn shot back. ®
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