Former executives sue Twitter for over $1 Million in expenses, Twitter responds with poop emoji
San Francisco: Former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal and two other top executives who were terminated by Elon Musk last year have filed a lawsuit on Monday, seeking reimbursement for expenses related to litigation, investigations, and congressional inquiries connected to their former roles.
The executives, who served as the company's former chief legal and financial officers, assert that they are entitled to more than $1 million in compensation, and that Twitter has a legal obligation to pay them.
In response to an AFP request for comment, Twitter followed its tradition of using a poop emoji. The recent court filing lists a variety of expenses incurred as a result of inquiries by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), but lacks specifics about the investigations, including whether they are ongoing or not.
Court documents reveal that Agrawal and former chief financial officer Ned Segal testified to the SEC last year and have remained in communication with federal authorities. The SEC is conducting an investigation to determine whether Elon Musk followed securities regulations while accumulating Twitter shares.
After Elon Musk's release of the "Twitter Files" related to content moderation on the platform, former Twitter chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde was summoned to participate in a US congressional hearing concerning big tech and free speech. Additionally, the court documents stated that Gadde was sued by an individual who claimed to have been "doxed" on Twitter as a white supremacist. Gadde was listed as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Elon Musk fired Parag Agrawal, Vijaya Gadde, and Ned Segal from their positions after his contentious $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in late October. The trio of former executives maintain that Twitter is obligated to reimburse them according to their agreements, but the company has only acknowledged receiving their invoices and taken no further action, according to their claim.
Upon assuming control of Twitter, Elon Musk rapidly reduced the number of employees, leading to concerns about the platform's stability and its capacity to combat misinformation and other forms of abuse. Additionally, allegations have surfaced claiming that Twitter has failed to pay rent and other bills, in accordance with Musk's commitment to "slash costs relentlessly."
As Elon Musk reduces moderation efforts on Twitter, market analysts report that advertising revenue has dropped sharply due to concerns about the proliferation of misinformation and hateful content on the platform.
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Sharad Pawar's 'merger with Cong' remark shows it's difficult for him to run his party,says Fadnavis
Mumbai, May 8: NCP founder Sharad Pawar's remark on regional parties' possible merger with the Congress shows it has become difficult for him to manage his own party, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde latched on to Pawar's comment to target Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying the latter has already become "Congress-minded".
Another leader of the ruling 'Mahayuti' in Maharashtra said Pawar's remarks reflect that ground was slipping from under his feet in his home turf Baramati and the only option before him was merging his party with the Congress.
In an interview to The Indian Express, Pawar said that in the next couple of years, several regional parties will associate more closely with the Congress or may look at the option of merger with it if they believe that is best for their party.
To a question if that applied to his own party, Pawar told the newspaper that he doesn't see any difference between the Congress and his party because both belong to the Gandhi, Nehru line of thinking.
Pawar made it clear that any decision on strategy or the next step will be taken collectively. He also said that his party is close to the Congress ideologically and that Uddhav Thackeray is positive about working together with like-minded parties.
Asked about Pawar's remark, Shinde said the Shiv Sena (UBT) has already become Congress-minded.
"Pawar is a big leader and he makes such statements. But the Sena (UBT) faction has already become Congress as they speak the language of the Congress and Pakistan," Shinde, who heads the ruling Shiv Sena, said.
"Just the formality (of merger between them) is remaining," he added.
Fadnavis said that through his remark, Pawar might be suggesting that it was difficult for him to run his party and hence he may opt to merge it with the Congress.
"It is nothing new because Pawar has formed new parties and later merged them with the Congress," he said.
Former Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam, who recently rejoined the ruling Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde, said Pawar has been thinking about merging his party with the Congress for a long time and even the Congress had given the proposal to this effect to him.
"But Congress rejected the proposal to entrust the leadership to Supriya Sule. Pawar's fresh comment suggests that the ground is slipping from under his feet in Baramati. Even if that is not the case, he has no option but merge his party with Congress which will be seen as a merger of two loss-making companies," the former MP said.
BJP leader Prasad Lad asked whether the Sena (UBT) will merge with the Congress along with the Sharad Pawar-led party.
"Uddhav Thackeray has stopped saying 'My Hindu brothers and sisters' at the outset of his speeches. He has become friends with those who criticise Veer Savarkar. Only time will tell whether Thackeray will merge his party with Congress," he said.
NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule said her father made a generic statement.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly and senior Congress leader Vijay Waddetiwar said there was truth in what Pawar said.
"He has a long-term vision. People are fed up with the dictatorial regime and want a change of guard," he said, targeting the BJP-led government.
Chhagan Bhujbal of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP said he doesn't think regional parties will merge with the Congress.
"They are strong in their respective states and have formed governments in West Bengal and Odisha," he said, referring to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
The NCP founded by Sharad Pawar in 1999 split in July 2023 after his nephew Ajit Pawar rebelled against him and joined the Eknath Shinde-led government. The Election Commission and assembly speaker later recognised the Ajit Pawar-led faction as the "real NCP" and allotted the clock symbol to it, while the NCP (SP) group was given 'man blowing turha' as the symbol.
