Garry Tan, the CEO of YC, accused me of unethical reporting
A clash between a prominent startup investor–CEO and an investigative journalist over coverage of San Francisco’s former district attorney has triggered broader scrutiny of how wealth, politics, and media power interact. Commenters debate whether the journalist’s work qualifies as rigorous fact-checking or factional advocacy, and whether any meaningful line still exists between reporting and political campaigning. The thread also branches into concerns about billionaire influence on democratic processes, the competence of “progressive prosecutors,” and how legal concepts like HIPAA are used or misused to attack critical coverage.
Perceptions of the reporting and “misrepresentations” doc
- Some call the piece exemplary reporting: transparent, sourced, and a needed correction of misinformation about a public official.
- Others see it as partisan “intra-party squabbling” among factions of the same party, not “great journalism.”
- The DA office’s “misrepresentations” memo on a TV reporter is read very differently:
- One side finds it weak and borderline “Trumpian,” accusing the reporter of legal violations without solid grounding.
- Another side thinks it largely supports the article’s claims that the reporter overreached and argued aggressively without strong evidence.
- Debate over a HIPAA-related passage:
- Some say it falsely implies the reporter broke HIPAA, which usually constrains covered entities.
- Others argue the memo clearly targets whoever leaked medical records, not the reporter, and note inducement to violate HIPAA can also be criminal.
Politics, journalism, and objectivity
- Disagreement over whether this is “politics” or “journalism”:
- Several argue journalism is inherently political; “apolitical reporting” is mostly a market-era myth.
- Others lament the fusion of reporting and advocacy, saying you can now predict coverage from a writer’s politics.
- Broader “everything is political” debate: some insist all choices (food, parks, work) have political implications; others find that framing exhausting and think everyday life can be non-political.
Progressive prosecutors and governance competence
- Multiple comments describe a pattern where progressive prosecutors win on reform platforms but then falter on management basics: staff exodus, poor communication, chaotic prioritization.
- Chicago and New York examples are cited: good intentions but weak execution and inability to manage hostile or misaligned bureaucracies and police.
- Others counter that entrenched law-enforcement resistance and structural issues (e.g., mental health, bail reform backlash) make success extremely hard.
Wealth, power, and behavior of the ultra-rich
- Strong criticism of billionaires using money to influence politics, spread misinformation, and shape recalls.
- Disagreement on whether extreme wealth causes sociopathy or simply selects for people with those traits.
- Some highlight philanthropic work by prominent billionaires; others argue net impact remains exploitative or socially harmful.
Silicon Valley, free speech, and media attacks
- Several see tech elites as having a distorted view of free speech: they want broad latitude for themselves while attacking critical journalism as corrupt or “hit pieces.”
- The DA’s office sharing background with a reporter is framed by some as routine, necessary sourcing; portraying this as an “orchestrated media hit” is seen as an attack on legitimate reporting.
Other side threads
- HN moderators note this story is being manually kept on the front page due to YC relevance despite flags.
- Brief debate over a publisher focused on Asian-American authors: some question legality or fairness; others point to civil-rights law and affirmative action history, with no clear consensus.