[Foundation-l] Foundation Discretion Regarding Personnel

[Mike Godwin]

Durova writes:

> Regardless of the merits of the Carolyn Doran story, I'm quite  
> concerned.
> An interview gives the Register the appearance of respectability.

As I have said, we seriously discussed whether to talk to the Register  
at all.  In general, my belief is that we shouldn't, and my general  
view hasn't changed.  In this particular case, however, there were  
countervailing concerns that we also had to take seriously.  We made  
the decision that, on balance, it was better in this one particular  
case to give a very limited interview to the Register.

As is the case with all judgment calls, reasonable people may disagree  
about what the right decision in this case was.  I doubt, however,  
that it is even theoretically within my power, or anyone's, to give  
the Register "the appearance of respectability."

> I don't think it
> helps volunteer morale for the Foundation counsel to give interviews  
> to the
> Register, especially at this time, and particularly when it  
> surprises us
> like this.

I want to be clear that our discussions reflected, among other things,  
concern about volunteer morale. I take that issue very seriously, as  
we all do. Nevertheless, I think that, on balance, we made the best  
decision we could with the (short) time and (little) advance notice  
that we had.


--Mike