More on Barry Lynn

This story has legs: New America Chair Says Google Didn't Prompt Critic's Ouster

The Open Markets team successfully seeded a sympathetic article in the New York Times. They followed that within 24 hours with multiple affiliated Op-Eds and sophisticated fundraising efforts, including a purpose-built website and email blasts. It is likely that there were other elements of this campaign of which I am not aware.

I do not believe that the intent of this campaign was to harm New America. Instead, the continuing campaign appears to be motivated by two goals: to promote a larger argument about Google’s abuse of - and potential to abuse - its corporate power, as well as to raise funds for their new organization. New America appears to be collateral damage in service of those goals.

Versus: A furious think-tank boss, Google, and an academic 'fired' for criticizing ads giant: Strange tale takes a new turn as CEO fights back

That Lynn felt the need to push his statement out without going through Slaughter, and the fact that she had such a strong reaction when he didn't, combined with the virtual certainty that Schmidt called soon after to express his annoyance, is as clear an example of soft money influence as you will ever find.

I suspect there are still more shoes to drop...