throwawy11111

cs: hello yes recode i'm a departing mid-level product manager at uber and i'd like some free PR for my personal brand and the consulting i'm doing

recode: can we frame the whole thing as uber clickbait?

cs: yes

recode: ok!

Y'know, there is a third position where one can be in support of neither Benchmark nor Travis.

Benchmark obviously did not cause Susan Fowler, Waymo, Greyball or the rape-file. Travis deserved what he got or worse.

What Benchmark has done is continue to leak negative stories and internal data to gain leverage in boardroom spats. Without pointing fingers this is more or less acknowledged internally. And now they've instigated a very public lawsuit to drag everyone back through the muck. It completely undercuts the majority of thousands of employees who were not complict in any of the above and having been fighting desperately to right the ship.

If Benchmarks position is so righteous and self-evident why can't they just convince the other board members to remove him? No one's that strongly allied with Travis anymore. Ryan Graves and Garrett Camp both publicly declared theyre not voting him back in. There hasn't been a peep from Arianna in months. All the other directors are independent or external investors.

And btw the real fire from Benchmark didnt start until Travis rallied to have Bonderman, Benchmark ally, immediately step down after making mysognist comments at the Holder report all-hands. A role reversal which epitomizes the deeper truth here -- none of this is particularly about ethics; its about money, control and liquidity.

Benchmark board seat is the rumored anon source of several of the negative stories about the company the last few months. As Gurleys patience with Travis soured, their strategy shifted to stoking the PR crisis deeper so they can purge management and gain control. Other shareholders and employees should rightly be outraged.

Benchmarks in a bind and at war with travis; they need to liquidate their stake in next year or two. Softbank deal to buy out their shares fell apart in part b/c no CEO. Benchmark wants safe-hands leader who will cost-cut firesale their way to quick IPO. travis + allies being more long term; blocking benchmarks CEO picks (meg). so board civil war continues with benchmarks dirty tricks like this sour grapes lawsuit and selective leaks to undercut and force mgmt's hand in cost cuts (the lease car data earlier this week)