HP Lawyer Resigns, Will Not Testify
Hewlett-Packard said Thursday that its general counsel had resigned immediately from the company, the fourth to do so behind former chairwoman Patricia Dunn and two other HP execs. Ann Baskins, who had been with the company for 24 years, advised Dunn to go forward with the HP press leak investigation. Her lawyers also said she will invoke her fifth amendment rights and refuse to testify in front of Congress.
Fifth amendment rights can be used when there is a fear of incrimination from testimony made. However, her lawyers maintain her innocence, although say the current environment could unfairly implicate her. "Given the current environment, however, Ms. Baskins simply has no choice," they said in a letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
