[mkarmac]

A somewhat classier, less-heavy-handed approach would have been to simply not give that employee a raise.

[zem]

no, this way they're saying "okay, we can't trust this guy, he's out of here". denying him a raise would just be punitive, which isn't too classy.

[roel_v]

Would that have made the headlines? If not, it wouldn't have the same effect.

[Gianteye]

It would have made the headlines if a google rep gave boingboing or IO9 a brief interview saying "we are not evil, but no one messes with the google."