Travis Kalanick fires back at ‘public and personal attack’ from Uber investor

Embattled former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick calls a lawsuit from a top Uber investor a “public and personal attack” in a new court filing.

Kalanick hit back at the venture capital firm Benchmark in a court filing late Thursday night, accusing its executives of threatening him with a smear campaign earlier this year to force his resignation.

Benchmark sued Kalanick for fraud in Delaware’s Chancery Court last week, alleging that he had gamed the balance of Uber’s board in order to lay the groundwork for his return to the company.

{mosads}In his court filing, Kalanick painted a different picture. In Kalanick’s version, when the venture capital firm was pushing for his resignation following a string of controversies and scandals under his leadership, Benchmark’s representatives acknowledged that he would be able to remain on the board and have control over three other seats.

Kalanick accused Benchmark partners Peter Fenton and Matt Cohler of orchestrating an “ambush” against him while he was dealing with a personal tragedy. On May 27, Kalanick’s mother was killed and his father seriously injured in a boating accident near Fresno, Calif.

About two weeks later, Kalanick took a leave of absence from Uber. According to the court filing, Fenton and Cohler visited Kalanick in Chicago and urged him to permanently resign as CEO, handing him a letter signed by Benchmark and other investors.

“The Benchmark principals also handed Kalanick a draft resignation letter, and told him he had hours to sign it, or else Benchmark would start a public campaign against him,” the filing alleges.

A law firm representing Benchmark did not immediately respond when asked for comment.

Kalanick demanded revisions to the resignation letter and ultimately, “given his emotional state,” relented and signed it.

The former CEO’s attorneys argued in the court filing that the lawsuit should be dismissed and that the matter would be better settled in arbitration.