Michael Dale McKee - HCP, Inc.
Analyst · Morgan Stanley
This is Mike McKee, John, let me speak – answer to your question, but also say since we have the opportunity that we are – continue to be delighted that Scott is going to join us. When we extended an offer to him, we had done extensive diligence talking to people he used to work for, used to work with, people that knew him from the clients and tenant side, just extensively did a review and it led us to a strong belief that he would be a tremendous asset to our team. When we started the interview process, we wanted to protect him from the situation that he finds himself in now. And so, we indemnified him from any liability arising from us extending the offer and him accepting it. That doesn't include any bad acts that he might have taken, if he did, in terms of exiting his performance or his employment. But it does cover just some of the litigation costs here and maybe all of them protecting himself from this lawsuit as long as there's no merit in the lawsuit. I will say since we have followed this closely and although we are not a party, we're certainly obviously involved. We're very aware of the discovery and the process to-date and as we expected and as we know what, as the recipient or the employer to be, we're pretty aware of the process that went on here. And as far as we can tell, there is no (54:49) there. There may be, at the end of the day, some – what I would call immaterial cost to bring him over and go through this litigation. But we think that is a cost that we were willing to bear to bring what we think is very a special person on to our team. I would also say that frankly, and I'll just say this personally, I continue to be very disappointed and frankly dismayed as the process worked out and as we know the fact better than most, that Scott is having to go through this situation, but he will get through it. There is a trial date in November. In his recent pleadings, he's brought a countersuit for malicious prosecution and defamation. Whether that makes or not, there is a pretty good basis it appears, according to the lawyers. That's not just a frivolous counterclaim. But at the end of the day, the dollars here are quite de minimis and we think that we're not sure quite what the endgame is on the other side, but we know that come January, he will be on our team and we will be better off for it. So hopefully, that helps.