Uber Senior Vice President Emil Michael, a former Obama administration White House Fellow, was caught telling an audience of media members in New York City that Uber could spend “a million dollars” hiring opposition researchers and journalists to “dig up dirt on its critics in the media.” Ben Smith of BuzzFeed has the scoop:
Uber Executive Suggests Digging Up Dirt On Journalists http://t.co/LEA9M3cvGC via @BuzzFeedNews
— Ben Smith (@benyt) November 18, 2014
An excerpt:
A senior executive at Uber suggested that the company should consider hiring a team of opposition researchers to dig up dirt on its critics in the media — and specifically to spread details of the personal life of a female journalist who has criticized the company.
The executive, Emil Michael, made the comments in a conversation he later said he believed was off the record. In a statement through Uber Monday evening, he said he regretted them and that they didn’t reflect his or the company’s views.
Whoa!
And Ellen Cushing, Senior Editor of San Francisco magazine adds that Michael’s comments might not be anything new:
https://twitter.com/elcush/status/534529021929717760
Pretty scary, actually:
Man it's lucky these Uber guys don't have access to detailed information on people's movements.
— Tom Gara (@tomgara) November 18, 2014
Worse yet for Michael is that he singled out Sarah Lacy, editor of the tech website PandoDaily, over her past criticism of the company. Lacy offered up this warning over the incident:
Sarah Lacy on Exec's Plan to Smear Her: "Every Woman Using Uber Should Be Scared." http://t.co/G6mgd1DHSv via @NellieBowles
— Walt Mossberg (@waltmossberg) November 18, 2014
Michael has since apologized to Lacy:
@paulcarr I agree and I unconditionally apologize for my comments. They were plain wrong and I feel terrible about them.
— Emil Michael (@emilmichael) November 18, 2014
@sarahcuda I would like to apologize to you directly. My comments were wrong and I deeply regret them.
— Emil Michael (@emilmichael) November 18, 2014
@sarahcuda Neither me nor my company would ever engage in such activities. Again, I apologize.
— Emil Michael (@emilmichael) November 18, 2014
Does anyone believe Michael?
And he’s getting slammed, and rightfully so, for his comments:
Scary. Especially the "hostile" attribute … http://t.co/OkF4Zl52q1 – "Uber exec apologises after suggesting firm dig dirt on journalists"
— Jan Ole Suhr (@janole) November 18, 2014
Emil Michael of Uber Proposes Digging Into Journalists’ Private Lives, via @nytimes http://t.co/TsNPrZuaZQ
— Alex Segura (@alex_segura) November 18, 2014
Uber. Nice guys. Not bullies. Oh no. http://t.co/gsHU9veC0m
— Scott Thompson (@ScottThomps74) November 18, 2014
Even more unreal, said at dinner w journos MT @BuzzFeedBen: Uber Executive Suggests Digging Up Dirt On Journalists http://t.co/YLQj3WxDyI
— Emily Phillips (@emjbanks) November 18, 2014
@BuzzFeedBen Wonder where he got that idea from?–> http://t.co/tW3eaHpAb7 #Uber
— DCD (@DCDude1776) November 18, 2014
That link to Politico above goes to this story on former Obama staffer David Plouffe joining Uber. Good question “DC Dude.” What does Plouffe have to say about all of this?
Here’s more on Michael’s resume, including his time as a White House Fellow:
News Update | The man at the centre of Uber controversy – Emil Michael’s career at taxi rival, Klout, the White Ho… http://t.co/uGPyTs4AwJ
— BankTech – News/Jobs (@UKBankTechNews) November 18, 2014
And then there’s this now-deleted RT of his of a “GS Elevator Gossip” tweet:
Uber exec @emilmichael also deletes controversial RT & replaced w/other. Original is this… #ubergate #uberdeleted pic.twitter.com/yTIhvq1Nns
— Khaver Siddiqi (@thekarachikid) November 18, 2014
Does this former trusted White House adviser have a problem with women? We’re just asking questions.
Exit question: How long does Michael last at Uber?
Of course. MT @Recode Should @emilmichael be fired for threatening a smear campaign against journalists? http://t.co/GRbLBBOwYd
— Lori Lewis (@lorilewis) November 18, 2014
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The other side of the story: Uber driver’s response to passenger claiming he choked her
DC Woman claims Uber driver choked her because she ‘kissed my white husband’
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