Mr. Penny

[Jolly]

Daniel Penny, a Marine veteran acquitted on a charge of criminally negligent homicide in Manhattan in December, has been hired by one of Silicon Valley’s most prestigious venture capital firms to join its “American Dynamism” team.

Mr. Penny, a Long Island native and former architecture student, will work in a group that supports American interests, including the aerospace, defense and manufacturing sectors, according to the website of the company, Andreessen Horowitz.

...“We believe in Daniel and are excited to have him as part of our team,” David Ulevitch, a partner at the firm, wrote in a memo to employees on Tuesday

...Mr. Ulevitch said in the memo that the firm plans to teach Mr. Penny “the business of investing” and that he will support several of the firm’s portfolio companies. On Andreessen Horowitz’s website, Mr. Penny is listed as a “deal partner.”

Margit Wennmachers, a spokeswoman for the firm, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Thomas Kenniff, Mr. Penny’s lawyer during the trial, said that he and his partner, Steven Raiser, were “extremely happy” about the news.

“The unjust prosecution not only put his liberty at jeopardy but also risked depriving society of a decent and talented young man,” Mr. Kenniff said on Tuesday. “And we know that he will be going on to do great things as he enters this next chapter of his life.”

(Excerpt) Read more at https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/04/nyregion/daniel-penny-hired-andreessen-horowitz.html

[Horace]

That's interesting. I guess he'll be a glorified mascot, someone to bring into meetings with high value clients to impress them.

Certainly far less gross than Google hiring, as a multi-million per year government liaison, the guy from the first Trump whitehouse, who anonymously authored the book about how Trump's goals were being thwarted from the inside. I'll never forget the crickets in response to that. I mean, beyond the giddy cheering. Many of those silent people are now hand wringing about "new precedents" set by Trump, which will come back to bite his side eventually.

[Jolly]

It's a payback hiring.

The guy does have some plus points:

1. He was a Marine.
2. He attained the rank of sergeant in his first hitch. That shows he has something between the ears.
3. The words his high school friends use to describe him are "dedicated" and "focused".
4. He's young, mid-20's.
5. He's met quite a few people in some pretty high orbits.

Will he make it in his new job? Don't have a clue. But I'd like to think he deserves a chance after all the crap he went through.

[jon-nyc]

I guess it was inevitable that right wing corporate virtue signaling would become a thing.

[Jolly]

Oh, fuck off.

Your mama wean you on bitter weeds?

[taiwan_girl]

Good for him. At least it is working out for him in the short term.

@Horace said in Mr. Penny:

I guess he'll be a glorified mascot, someone to bring into meetings with high value clients to impress them.

I agree. Pretty obvious. What would be the chances of a mid 20's ex- marine, HS diploma, with no real venture capital experience getting a job, let alone even an interview with that company?

[LuFins Dad]

Guy’s, he’s going to Silicon Valley. What’s the homeless situation in San Fran, again? They obviously hired him as security.