Accusations revive former HP chief's scandal

Former Hewlett Packard CEO Mark Hurd made increasingly aggressive romantic advances over several years toward an independent contractor who later accused him of sexual harassment, according to claims in a letter from her lawyer obtained by Reuters. The letter, ordered unsealed and allowed to be made public for the first time since the scandal emerged last year, outlined in intricate detail accusations by TV starlet and HP contractor Jodie Fisher that Hurd had wined and dined her, then allegedly sought sexual favours in return for employment. Fisher retained celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred, who sent the letter in June 2010 accusing Hurd of hiring her with amorous designs. He tried repeatedly to "engage" her by asking Fisher to his hotel room and kissing her on the lips, according to a copy of the letter provided by a source close to the situation. The letter is at the heart of a scandal that transfixed Silicon Valley in 2010 and culminated in the firing of Hurd, who was popular with investors on Wall Street and is now a president at HP rival Oracle Corp. Article continues below Inaccuracies Hurd, Oracle and even Fisher herself have said Allred's letter contained unspecified inaccuracies. Still, its release threatens to revive the scandal as Hurd looks to put the dispute behind him and focus on his new job at Oracle, where one of his key responsibilities is selling high-end computer systems that compete with products from HP. Hurd was ousted from HP on August 6 after Fisher — who was hired as a hostess for corporate events — accused him of sexual harassment, a claim an internal probe later dismissed. "It is appalling that you would use HP revenues for the purpose of procuring female companionship and romance under the guise of HP business," Allred's letter read. "She continually had to put you off, make excuses, scurry away or simply leave." Hurd's legal team had fought to keep the letter under seal, but a Delaware appeals court ruled last week it should be made public, though some portions would be redacted.