The super PAC supporting Carly Fiorina labeled an article about the presidential candidate published in the New York Times business section last week "dishonest" and in response took out a full-page advertisement in the paper’s Thursday edition to disperse the "truth" about her business record.
The ad, paid for by Carly for America, features a letter penned by Tom Perkins, a former member of the Hewlett-Packard board of directors who worked closely with Fiorina during her time as CEO of the company and who ultimately voted for her to be fired.
Perkins, who founded California venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, now characterizes that decision as a "mistake."
Writing to the Times’ Andrew Ross Sorkin, who wrote an article about Fiorina’s "not so sterling" business record, Perkins champions Fiorina as a "transformational leader who uniquely has both vision and expertise to implement it."
According to a spokeswoman for Carly for America, Perkins pitched an op-ed to the Times about his experience working with Fiorina but was declined by the publication.
"The New York Times ran an op-ed that provided a dishonest picture of Carly’s work and leadership at HP," Carly for America press secretary Leslie Shedd told the Washington Free Beacon. "We decided to buy the space and display Mr. Perkins’ account prominently in the same paper in which Carly was attacked, so their readers could get an honest take on her great work there."
Perkins writes:
Critics often claim Carly was fired at HP because she was unsuccessful. As a member of the board, I can tell you this is not true. In truth, it was the Board I was a part of that was ineffective and dysfunctional. The HP board of directors was filled with family members of the founders. Carly worked with the hand she was dealt as best as one could. While Carly fought to save the company and the employees within, some board members fought for their own power or advancement. You see, some board members wanted to micro-manage the company, hand picking friends and allies to run divisions. This is no way to run a global company and Carly had the strength of character and courage of conviction to stand up to it and ultimately she lost her job because of it. While lesser leaders would have accepted offers of transition plans and graceful resignations, Carly would have none of that. Carly demanded to be fired. In order to restore peace to the board I voted to fire her. That was a mistake.
Sorkin’s Aug. 17 piece discusses his own reporting on Fiorina’s business career. In it, he questions her "track records and accomplishments" and suggested that her time at Hewlett-Packard is viewed as more of a "liability" than an "asset," referencing details surrounding the company’s 2001 merger with Compaq--"ill-conceived," he called it--and her ultimate firing.
In his response, the former Hewlett-Packard board member defends the Compaq merger and credits Fiorina with leading the company "through one of the worst economic times in decades" and ultimately allowing it to grow stronger.
Perkins insists to the New York Times reporter that, in such a heated election, "facts and the truth get lost in the heat of partisan rhetoric." His direct observation of Fiorina’s skill, Perkins says, renders him able to vouch for her "abilities, intellect, and talent" that have lead him to support her for the Republican presidential nomination.
When asked whether or not the Times provides fair coverage of Fiorina, Shedd responded, "I think this story speaks for itself."
This isn’t the first instance of the Times receiving heat for its coverage of a Republican presidential candidate.
Last month, GOP hopeful Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) accused the Times of attacking him with the "Castro regime’s propaganda" by publishing a story highlighting negative opinions of him held by some Cubans.