3 ms·

The question you need to ask yourself is whether you _should_ talk to journalists during a legal matter, instead of trying to fight the court of public opinion.

photomatt 2y ago
I'm very comfortable with the truth of everything being public, it's on our side. The legal case will drag out for years.
- spellsaidwrong 2y ago
  You know legal case documents will eventually become public, right?
- chris_wot 2y ago
  Literally everybody is telling you to STFU. The problem as I see it, is that you might feel incredibly confident in your case, but you are so close to things that you have convinced yourself of your own righteousness. That’s not necessarily reality, and you are not as righteous as you believe. Even if you are - your words could be misconstrued. I cannot understand why your legal team is not advising you to stop making public comments. Or perhaps they are, and you aren’t listening to them? Either way, you are being incredibly foolish.
- ErwinAI 2y ago
  You're aware that the messages shown in that document (if authentic) can be interpreted as extortion, right?
- geerlingguy 2y ago
  Regardless, I'd take some time and go offline, instead of posting reactionary comments on HN right now.
  - mysecretaccount 2y ago
    He seems rather level-headed to me. I would rather a CEO address this lawsuit candidly personally.
    - _heimdall 2y ago
      Have you ever been party to or close to an important legal proceeding? Anything said and documented prior to the hearing will be combed through. Even tiny inconsistencies will be cherry picked and entered as evidence to raise doubt of the claims made. I'm all for the sentiment behind a CEO addressing ongoing lawsuits candidly, but in reality its just a bad idea. Statements made without being fully vetted by council, with the context of all other statements already made, will inevitably have issues that could throw a wrench in the case.
    - favorited 2y ago
      Any lawyer would tell him it's a bad idea (as has happened in this thread!), but I'm glad you think it's a good idea.
      - mysecretaccount 2y ago
        I don't think it's a good idea, but it is preferable for me as a bystander trying to understand his position on and the details of the case.
    - saagarjha 2y ago
      Oh I would much rather that because it is amusing. However if I used Wordpress I would definitely think differently.
      - netsharc 2y ago
        Sonewhere I saw the great comment regarding Matt: "It's like someone wrote Elon Musk in PHP"...
        2y ago
- 3np 2y ago
  What I think you don't realize is, the minor discrepancies in statements of facts are inconsequential in the court of opinon. Even if (which TBH don't find implausible at all) everything you said and posted is true and I agree in principle, that doesn't resolve the issues around CoI and they way you have been communicating over the last couple of weeks, including the WPConf bombshell and the abrupt discontinuation of service. The fallout of the drama and the way you have been playing your hand vastly overshadow whatever your motivations for "going nuclear" was. I don't believe you will gain anyone's sympathy by resolving a misunderstanding about who-said-what-when in some inconsequential matter somehow apparently also part of this drama. Some if it seems like pure distraction that I don't see why anyone outside of the individuals involved should have ever heard about in the first place. I second the sentiment that you don't appear healthy and could suggest maybe let someone else take a seat in one of the (3? 4?) chairs for a change? At least from the outside, you still seem free to choose your focus yourself. Maybe that window will be closing...
  - dataspun 2y ago
    [flagged]
- ebcode 2y ago
  hmm.. no, I don't think it is all on your side, sad to say. I was with you until I read this message you sent to Heather Brunner: >> If you decline, on Monday morning, I tell Greg Mondres: * Lee's refusal to negotiate terms to resolve our conflict. * Your interviewing with Automattic over the past year. * I will possibly tell the press all of the above. That's just so obviously threatening and uncalled for. Even if Brunner were considering jumping ship, you shouldn't threaten someone into accepting an offer. Now, you don't know me from Adam, but I want you to strongly, strongly consider that this thing that you've been afraid of happening, has actually already happened. And that is, that you have become Evil Matt -- with the little horns on your head and everything. And to get back to being Good Matt, you're going to have to let some things go. "No problem is so formidable that you can't walk away from it." -- Charles Schulz
  - Suppafly 2y ago
    >That's just so obviously threatening and uncalled for. And honestly in the territory of being legally actionable.
- pensatoio 2y ago
  Have you spoken to a lawyer, Matt? That’s a terrible course of action. It’s like talking to the police. You never do so, no matter how innocent you are.
- wordofx 2y ago
  lol I honestly can’t wait for the world to crumble around you and reality to set in.

photomatt 2y ago

I'm very comfortable with the truth of everything being public, it's on our side. The legal case will drag out for years.

spellsaidwrong 2y ago
You know legal case documents will eventually become public, right?
chris_wot 2y ago
Literally everybody is telling you to STFU. The problem as I see it, is that you might feel incredibly confident in your case, but you are so close to things that you have convinced yourself of your own righteousness. That’s not necessarily reality, and you are not as righteous as you believe. Even if you are - your words could be misconstrued. I cannot understand why your legal team is not advising you to stop making public comments. Or perhaps they are, and you aren’t listening to them? Either way, you are being incredibly foolish.
ErwinAI 2y ago
You're aware that the messages shown in that document (if authentic) can be interpreted as extortion, right?
geerlingguy 2y ago
Regardless, I'd take some time and go offline, instead of posting reactionary comments on HN right now.
- mysecretaccount 2y ago
  He seems rather level-headed to me. I would rather a CEO address this lawsuit candidly personally.
  - _heimdall 2y ago
    Have you ever been party to or close to an important legal proceeding? Anything said and documented prior to the hearing will be combed through. Even tiny inconsistencies will be cherry picked and entered as evidence to raise doubt of the claims made. I'm all for the sentiment behind a CEO addressing ongoing lawsuits candidly, but in reality its just a bad idea. Statements made without being fully vetted by council, with the context of all other statements already made, will inevitably have issues that could throw a wrench in the case.
  - favorited 2y ago
    Any lawyer would tell him it's a bad idea (as has happened in this thread!), but I'm glad you think it's a good idea.
    - mysecretaccount 2y ago
      I don't think it's a good idea, but it is preferable for me as a bystander trying to understand his position on and the details of the case.
  - saagarjha 2y ago
    Oh I would much rather that because it is amusing. However if I used Wordpress I would definitely think differently.
    - netsharc 2y ago
      Sonewhere I saw the great comment regarding Matt: "It's like someone wrote Elon Musk in PHP"...
      - 2y ago
3np 2y ago
What I think you don't realize is, the minor discrepancies in statements of facts are inconsequential in the court of opinon. Even if (which TBH don't find implausible at all) everything you said and posted is true and I agree in principle, that doesn't resolve the issues around CoI and they way you have been communicating over the last couple of weeks, including the WPConf bombshell and the abrupt discontinuation of service. The fallout of the drama and the way you have been playing your hand vastly overshadow whatever your motivations for "going nuclear" was. I don't believe you will gain anyone's sympathy by resolving a misunderstanding about who-said-what-when in some inconsequential matter somehow apparently also part of this drama. Some if it seems like pure distraction that I don't see why anyone outside of the individuals involved should have ever heard about in the first place. I second the sentiment that you don't appear healthy and could suggest maybe let someone else take a seat in one of the (3? 4?) chairs for a change? At least from the outside, you still seem free to choose your focus yourself. Maybe that window will be closing...
- dataspun 2y ago
  [flagged]
ebcode 2y ago
hmm.. no, I don't think it is all on your side, sad to say. I was with you until I read this message you sent to Heather Brunner: >> If you decline, on Monday morning, I tell Greg Mondres: * Lee's refusal to negotiate terms to resolve our conflict. * Your interviewing with Automattic over the past year. * I will possibly tell the press all of the above. That's just so obviously threatening and uncalled for. Even if Brunner were considering jumping ship, you shouldn't threaten someone into accepting an offer. Now, you don't know me from Adam, but I want you to strongly, strongly consider that this thing that you've been afraid of happening, has actually already happened. And that is, that you have become Evil Matt -- with the little horns on your head and everything. And to get back to being Good Matt, you're going to have to let some things go. "No problem is so formidable that you can't walk away from it." -- Charles Schulz
- Suppafly 2y ago
  >That's just so obviously threatening and uncalled for. And honestly in the territory of being legally actionable.
pensatoio 2y ago
Have you spoken to a lawyer, Matt? That’s a terrible course of action. It’s like talking to the police. You never do so, no matter how innocent you are.
wordofx 2y ago
lol I honestly can’t wait for the world to crumble around you and reality to set in.