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What I don't get is if Peter truly feels he was doing a public good by shutting down Gawker, why must he do so in secret?

Would the mission be impaired if the sponsor were revealed or is Peter an underhanded snake?

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I doubt the decision in the Gawker case was made in complete isolation from the public opinion, and public favour these days is significantly based upon who can depict themselves as the underdog/victim and therefore claim the moral high ground. Presumably, being financially supported by Thiel would not exactly have earned Hogan underdog points.

Maybe he doesn't want to be in the spotlight. "Do good without bragging about it."

Also, even if it was a good thing to do, it doesn't mean that the public has the same opinion.

I think this could be a legitimate explanation in his mind- unfortunately for him it became a high profile case and now he has to go on the defensive.

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