The GNOME Foundation Council of Organization has removed Sonny Pierce from all GNOME committees and blocked him on Gitlab and Discourse of the GNOME project. The decision to exclude him was made back in May but was only announced recently. The exclusion decision was made during a closed meeting, without the publication of the voting protocol or the disclosure of the discussion preceding the vote. The community was not informed nor provided with an explanation of the reasons for the exclusion. While the reasons given mention a complaint against behavior violation, the specifics of the problems were not detailed.
Members of the GNOME community are questioning whether the actions of the GNOME Foundation align with its charter, given the lack of transparency in decision-making processes. Some private voters who participated in Sonny’s removal believe they should have been informed about the reasons, basis, and voters involved in the decision. The process followed for considering the behavior complaint is seen as atypical, suggesting that the complaint may have been an excuse to remove Sonny Pierce. The inconsistency in handling complaints about behavior violations raises concerns about the fairness of the process.
Robert McQueen, President of the GNOME Foundation, explained that the decision regarding Sonny Pierce’s removal was unprecedented. Details were kept confidential based on legal advice to mitigate potential legal risks and protect the individuals involved in the conflict. The Governing Council dedicated significant attention to this issue over multiple meetings this year, striving to find a balance between legal considerations and community obligations.
The delay in announcing Sonny’s removal was aimed at minimizing its impact on the election of the new Council composition and ensuring approval at the first official meeting of the new council. The postponement also allowed for the completion of the conflict resolution process with the GNOME Foundation acting as a neutral mediator.