Five hours into the Congressional hearing, HP's CEO Mark Hurd was sworn in, and he promptly apologized for the investigation and tried to distance himself from direct responsibility for the decision to send spyware to a CNet reporter.
While Hurd admitted that he approved the content of the leak of real information to a reporter via a fake insider, he denied he knew anything about how the trap might work.
"To the best of my memory and knowledge I remember nothing about spyware," Hurd said.
Hurd is trying to draw a very fine line -- claiming general responsibiilty as a good corporate steward, while cliaming that he had no direct knowledge of the situation.
"I should have been able to catch it, but I didn't," Hurd said.
Walden tried to nail Hurd with the same question he asked HP's deposed Chairwoman Patricia Dunn: Did you think you pick a phone and get my phone record? Did you believe that is possible?"
"It wasn't something I thought about," Hurd said. "But I would not want someone without my permission to get my cell phone records."
Photo: kevinl8888
