In the defensive letter sent by Uber to the FTC on November 7th, 2016, just two months before the settlement was announced, Uber claimed that their advertised rates were correct and that drivers could make that much money but chose not to by driving less. Uber asked for the letter to be kept confidential, an unsurprising request given how the letter reveals the company's true opinion of their own drivers. Andrew Smith and John Graubert, lawyers at Covington & Burling who represented Uber during the inquiry stated, "On reflection we trust you will agree that no enforcement action is warranted. We see no basis for the central allegation that potential drivers were misled by earnings claims into taking on auto leases or purchases that were more expensive than originally advertised by Uber."