In a 2014 interview, Richards—still unemployed—speculated whether the developer was responsible for instigating the Internet backlash against her.[1] The developer, who was offered a new job "right away", said he had not engaged with those who sent him messages of support, and had posted a short statement on Hacker News the same night after he was fired saying in part that Richards had "every right to report me to staff, and I defend her position".[88][2]