Topline
A letter supporting Shaun Maguire, a partner at Silicon Valley venture capital firm Sequoia Capital, amid backlash over his comments accusing New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has reportedly garnered hundreds of signatures—including top names connected to PayPal andSeamless—after nearly 1,000 tech founders demanded Sequoia take disciplinary action.
Partner at Sequoia Capital Shaun Maguire speaks during the Hill & Valley Forum at the US Capitol … More
Key Facts
The new letter, reported by Business Insider, says Maguire’s comments on Mamdani “were not hate speech” and are instead “the reflections of a principled thinker and a partner to countless founders who span geographies, faiths, and political beliefs.”
The letter condemns tech founders who have demanded disciplinary action, stating the “calls to punish or remove him are part of a larger and worrying trend: ideological mobbing disguised as a moral virtue.”
Maguire told Business Insider on Tuesday an “unbelievable number of people” have reached out to support him, and he said he believes he is being targeted for his pro-Israel advocacy.
The letter supporting Maguire has more than 355 signatures as of Tuesday, Business Insider reported, with signatories including David Marcus, former president of PayPal; Jason Finger, founder of Seamless; and Josh Wolfe, founder of Lux Capital.
What Has Shaun Maguire Said About Zohran Mamdani?
Maguire, over the past week, has made dozens of posts on X criticizing Mamdani, in some of which he has accused the mayoral candidate of being an “Islamist.” Maguire first sparked controversy for a post over the weekend criticizing Mamdani, who was born to Indian parents in Uganda, for marking his race on a college application as “Asian” and “Black or African American.” Maguire said Mamdani “comes from a culture that lies about everything” to advance an “Islamist agenda.” In the days since, Maguire has doubled down on his comments despite the backlash, including in a 30-minute video he posted in which he apologized for offending anyone. But in other posts, he claims Mamdani promotes “explicitly anti white policies,” alleging he “hates America.”
What Does The Open Letter Condemning Maguire’s Comments Say?
The open letter condemning Maguire’s comments on Mamdani has been signed by 981 tech founders representing 923 companies as of Wednesday morning. The letter calls Maguire’s “Islamist” accusation a “deliberate, inflammatory attack that promotes dangerous anti-Muslim stereotypes.” The signatories demand Sequoia publicly denounce Maguire’s comments by July 14, or else they will “proceed with broader public disclosure, media outreach and mobilizing our networks to ensure accountability.” The letter also calls on Sequoia to publish a zero-tolerance policy on religious bigotry, establish a hotline to report discrimination by Sequoia employees and conduct an investigation into Maguire’s conduct over the past two years.
Key Background
Maguire, a partner at the powerful Silicon Valley-based Sequoia Capital, is politically vocal on social media and is a prolific supporter of President Donald Trump. Last year, Maguire said he donated $300,000 to Trump’s 2024 election campaign, and he has praised Trump’s attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities and his deportations in recent weeks. Maguire has led Sequoia’s investments into various companies, including several founded by Elon Musk.
Further Reading
Sequoia’s Shaun Maguire Doubles Down On Mamdani ‘Islamist’ Comments Despite Furor (Forbes)