He's a pretty decent guy for the most part, and I believe him when he says he wants to help.
Whether it's a good or bad thing, a writer's reputation (which is often based directly on past actions) does impact how people understand his or her work.
My opinion is that it's important to know such information when reading an article, regardless of whether it can be taken in a positive, neutral, or negative light. It does help the reader get a deeper comprehension of the article's message, and where the writer is coming from.