Zuckerberg Has Advised Buttigieg on Campaign Hires

[BeyondGeography]

Facebook Inc. chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg has privately recommended several potential hires to Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign, a rare example of direct political involvement from one of tech’s most powerful executives.

Earlier this year, Zuckerberg sent multiple emails to Mike Schmuhl, Buttigieg’s campaign manager, with names of individuals that he might consider hiring, campaign spokesman Chris Meagher confirmed. Priscilla Chan, Zuckerberg’s wife, also sent multiple emails to Schmuhl with staff recommendations. Ultimately, two of the people recommended were hired.

The emails between Zuckerberg and Buttigieg have come to light as Zuckerberg faces unrelenting attacks from politicians from both parties over such issues as misinformation, privacy, election meddling and bias. Zuckerberg is scheduled to testify Wednesday before the House Financial Services Committee on Facebook’s impact on the financial services and housing sectors.

... The staff recommendations from Zuckerberg are the first evidence of the Facebook CEO actively assisting a presidential campaign. A number of other high-ranking Facebook executives, including David Marcus, the executive leading Facebook’s cryptocurrency efforts, Naomi Gleit, one of Facebook’s longest-tenured executives, and Chris Cox, former chief product officer who is close friends with Zuckerberg, have donated to Buttigieg.

In recent weeks, Democrats have escalated their criticism of Facebook for its refusal to moderate political ads...Buttigieg, meanwhile, has become somewhat of a darling of Silicon Valley Democrats, repeatedly returning to San Francisco for high-dollar fundraisers. He’s been more apprehensive about breaking up big tech companies than some of his Democratic counterparts, saying the issue of monopolies extends beyond tech. But he’s also raised concerns about tech companies having too much power and has floated regulation, including fines and the blocking of new mergers, for Facebook and other big tech companies.

...Zuckerberg needs friends in Washington, where Facebook is under unprecedented attack. His company is being investigated for possible antitrust violations by two federal agencies and Congress. It’s also trying to get skeptical regulators and lawmakers on board with its goal of launching a cryptocurrency.

More at https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-21/zuckerberg-offered-advice-in-hiring-to-buttigieg-in-rare-move?srnd=premiumo

[still_one]

1. Was it unsolicited? I suspect so, and also suspect the Mayor will not be influenced by Zuckerberg

[redqueen]

3. "Ultimately, two of the people recommended were hired."

I'd be very interested to know the names of the two that were hired based on these recommendations.

[dsc]

10. we have no idea if they were hired based on, despite, or having nothing to do with

those recommendations.

[BeyondGeography]

13. We do know this is the first time he has ever directly assisted a campaign

[redqueen]

17. Which is why knowing who they are would be enlightening nt

[dsc]

19. actually who they are is irrelevent

it is why they were hired which would matter. Apparently the people in question went to Zuckerberg and asked for a recommendation, not Pete going to him. So this is similar to what I do as a teacher. I get asked for recommendations often, that doesn't mean I am advising Food Lion on how to run their stores.

[redqueen]

20. So if zuck has good reasons for hiring, say, Kevin Martin,

Joel Kaplan, or Katie Harbath, that would mean it's fine?

[dsc]

22. Zuck has a private company

so he gets to hire whom he pleases. That is how capitalism works, last I checked.

[BeyondGeography]

21. Per who?

Facebook? Please.

And even if that’s true, the one and only time Zuckerberg has ever reached out to a presidential campaign on behalf of his employees is to Mayor Pete.

No matter how you slice it, Zuckerberg has been building a relationship with Buttigieg, who just happens to be a leading critic of his leading critic in the primary, Elizabeth Warren. People will draw their own conclusions.

[monmouth4]

2. Oh Pete, stay away from him, he's poison, especially if he's looking at regulation..n/t

[Renew Deal]

4. Facebook is also under attacks from law enforcement for using and improving encryption

[patricia92243]

5. I'm assuming he, as a private individual, gave advice. No problem with that.

[crazytown]

8. Yikes

[bucolic_frolic]

6. In my view Zuckerberg remains in way over his head

He is a CEO focused on narrow profitability with little idea or care for the consequences of his decisions outside the bottom line or the company. As with most CEOs. It's just that here it is a product that is in the public's face every day so more visible.

[empedocles]

7. Perhaps Z is like many corporate campaign contributors, give to both parties.

Or, possible undermining. Corporate does that also.

[redqueen]

18. Would be logical. However he only hires from one side

or so it would seem, as far as his top execs in positions related to politics are concerned, which is disturbing to say the least.

[Piiolo]

9. Warren should use this against Buttigieg in ads

[cwydro]

12. That's not Warren's style.

Surprised you don’t know that.

[BeyondGeography]

24. Yup. This is more like it.

Link to tweet

[cwydro]

28. Good for her.

[dalton99a]

11. Sure enough

[demmiblue]

14. Ugh. n/t

[dalton99a]

15. No one should be surprised

(South Bend, Apr 29, 2017)

[MrsCoffee]

16. Ewwww.

[Qutzupalotl]

23. it was actually just potential hires asking him to make an introduction

Link to tweet

[FreeState]

25. This n/t

[bobbieinok]

26. IMHO this does NOT sound good. Explicit direct corporate influence on a possible president!

[nycbos]

27. I like Mayor Pete.

But stuff shows that instead of being ready to be in the show he is like a MLB team's top minor league prospect who needs a little more grooming before being called up.

[ritapria]

29. What an insightful comment on your part

It's a perfect distillation of the situation with Mayor Pete

[patricia92243]

30. I believe Pete and Z went to Harvard together.

[Kid Berwyn]

31. Helpful, like when the Koch Bros. sent money to the New Dems.

Next thing we knew, no one remembered the New Deal.