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9h ago

Ron Conway Resigns From Salesforce Foundation Board Over Benioff’s National Guard Remarks

The departure highlights a widening split over federal intervention in a city officials say is seeing crime fall.

Ron Conway speaks with Salesforce founder and CEO Marc Benioff before the grand opening of the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco on May 22, 2018. The venture capitalist resigned from Salesforce’s philanthropic board after Benioff expressed support for Trump and called for the deployment of the National Guard in San Francisco.
Marc and Lynne Benioff (at left) with Jeannette Etheredge, Ron Conway and Jennifer Montana at Tosca Cafe for a UCSF fundraiser. Oct 2013. 
Investor and philanthropist Ron Conway poses for a portrait on Feb. 28, 2018, in San Francisco. The venture capitalist resigned from Salesforce’s philanthropic board after CEO Marc Benioff expressed support for Trump and called for the deployment of the National Guard in San Francisco.
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Overview

  • The longtime tech investor quit the Salesforce Foundation board after Marc Benioff told the New York Times he supports President Trump and favors deploying the National Guard to San Francisco.
  • In an email, Conway said their values no longer align, calling the proposal an unwanted federal invasion and criticizing Benioff’s detachment from the impact of ICE raids.
  • San Francisco leaders rejected the idea, with Mayor Daniel Lurie citing a 70-year low in homicides and a decline in overdose deaths as evidence local policing is working.
  • Salesforce announced a $15 billion, five-year investment in San Francisco this week as Benioff largely avoided directly addressing the remarks during Dreamforce.
  • President Trump said he would strongly recommend reviewing a Guard deployment and Elon Musk backed the move, while Conway pointed out Benioff now lives and votes in Hawaii.