HP chairwoman says she consulted others
Washington, D.C. ? Hewlett-Packard Co.’s ousted chairwoman said it was her duty to stem boardroom leaks of sensitive information and that her decision to initiate an investigation was made in concert with others at HP, according to prepared testimony released by a congressional committee.
Patricia Dunn said she “never doubted” the legality of the methods used in the investigation, and that she discussed the conduct of the probe with the technology company’s chief executive officer, Mark Hurd, and board members.
“I never doubted … that what they were doing was legal,” Dunn said in written testimony prepared for her appearance today at a hearing by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. It was released by the panel late Wednesday.
She was referring to the probe led by Ronald DeLia, the operator of a private detective firm, whom Dunn said was used because he was under contract to HP. The investigation involved private eyes impersonating HP board members, employees and journalists to obtain their phone records, spying on targeted people and their relatives, sifting through their garbage, and using an e-mail sting to dupe a reporter.
Dunn disclosed that she learned in the spring of 2005 that the probe involved obtaining access to phone records.