Hey Matt, ex-Automattician here. I don't have any comment on the issues themselves (haven't touched PHP or WP since I left) but please consider that the fallout of these actions may hurt your own employees in ways you can't see.
This has turned into a legal situation and I'd have to guess it's making people very uncomfortable. From the outside, it seems to have happened so suddenly that anyone employed at Automattic wouldn't have time to consider their options beforehand. Some people I really respect and enjoyed working with are in a tough spot right now and there's no way they can be fully honest with you given the circumstances.
This has turned into a legal situation and I'd have to guess it's making people very uncomfortable. From the outside, it seems to have happened so suddenly that anyone employed at Automattic wouldn't have time to consider their options beforehand. Some people I really respect and enjoyed working with are in a tough spot right now and there's no way they can be fully honest with you given the circumstances.