In today's SF Chron...
by: fiats3 03/29/02 05:54 pm
Msg: 115740 of 115749
"Proving that HP cut a deal with the bank or did anything illegal would be an uphill battle, legal experts said.
"If there was a clear-cut quid pro quo, of course, it would be illegal," said Tom Briggs, a Texas corporate governance attorney. "But how are you going to get there? It's just going to be hard without having somebody doing something spectacularly stupid" -- such as putting any alleged agreement in writing.
But Hewlett may be able to build a case with the help of an HP or Deutsche Bank insider, experts added.
"A whistle-blower would obviously be strong evidence," said Craig Tompkins, a Los Angeles attorney who has been involved in many proxy contests. "Of course, HP or Deutsche Bank would try to discredit that witness as a disgruntled employee."
Although an insider's testimony could be challenged as hearsay, Larry Hamermesh, a professor of law at Widener University in Delaware, underscored the "value of the whistle-blower who knows where the documents are" and other important information.
It's unclear from the lawsuit if Hewlett had gathered enough insider information to prove his allegations. His representatives declined to comment yesterday."
So, show of hands please. Anyone want to step up and be the crucial 'whistleblower'? Want to be depositioned by a army of country's top corporate lawyers and grilled for weeks, being asked the same set of questions over and over? Want to have ALL of your 'dirty laundry' exposed to the world? Have every background check known to man performed on you AND your family members? Who has the guts, anyone? All I know that no one at HP does..that's for sure. Imageine your name and Walter's forever linked in HP infamy. If you're so upset, let's see you go for it. I dare you. |
