As Twitter subpoenas Elon Musk’s tech allies, some lash out over ‘fishing expedition’
- In a wide-ranging subpoena, Twitter is seeking information on communications about timelines, calls, meetings and other notes, according to The Washington Post
- Some tech executives named in the subpoena have expressed displeasure about being dragged into the fight over the Tesla CEO’s US$44 billion deal to buy Twitter
Elon Musk’s wealthy hi-tech allies don’t seem too happy about receiving subpoenas from Twitter as part of the company’s legal battle with the Tesla CEO.
San Francisco-based Twitter is suing Musk in Delaware in an attempt to get him to complete his US$44 billion acquisition of the social media company, a deal Musk is trying to get out of. According to a report from The Washington Post, Twitter’s legal team on Monday asked for information about a host of tech investors and entrepreneurs connected to Musk in a wide-ranging subpoena. Twitter declined to comment.
According to the Post, the subpoena includes “extensive requests for communications, including ‘checklists, timelines, presentations, decks, organisational calls, meetings, notes, recordings’ related to the deal’s financing’”.
Well-known venture capitalists included in the subpoena, according to the report, are Marc Andreessen, founder of VC firm Andreessen Horowitz; former Facebook exec and CEO of Social Capital Chamath Palihapitiya; and David Sacks, the founding chief operating officer of PayPal and current general partner at Craft Ventures.
Elon Musk files countersuit under seal vs Twitter over US$44 billion deal
Sacks posted Monday on Twitter that “news that I am being subpoenaed by Twitter’s lawyers reminded me of this issue of Mad Magazine, I don’t know why.” He included a photo of the magazine’s cover showing a hand raising a middle finger.
Joe Lonsdale, general partner at 8VC, called Twitter’s subpoenas sent to “friends in the ecosystem” surrounding Musk, Andreessen and Sacks a “giant harassing fishing expedition”.
“I have nothing to do with this aside from a few snarky comments, but got a ‘YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED’ document notice,” he tweeted on Monday.
Representatives for Sacks, Andreessen and Palihapitiya did not immediately respond to messages for comment on Tuesday. Lonsdale did not immediately respond to a message sent through LinkedIn.
