I was in a similar situation at a startup I worked for, except they are trying to get their software into the control systems in industrial refrigeration facilities. I have brought up repeatedly that their Netflix-style cloud model for control systems had caused multiple incidents and have called for an architecture discussion which other engineers supported but which the management shut down. Soon after they moved to terminate me but they failed to execute on it so I sent them a resignation notice instead and notified the investors and one customer of the issues and let them work out the whole thing.
For all intents and purposes what they tried to do was retaliation, but I think they were legally absolutely in the clear to (try to) terminate my employment. The same seems to be true of the Salesforce guy. The company had the right to fire him, and, outside of any at-employment NDAs he has the right to tell everyone what he saw. That he is suing them makes you wonder if he's doing it for the money rather than the principle.
For all intents and purposes what they tried to do was retaliation, but I think they were legally absolutely in the clear to (try to) terminate my employment. The same seems to be true of the Salesforce guy. The company had the right to fire him, and, outside of any at-employment NDAs he has the right to tell everyone what he saw. That he is suing them makes you wonder if he's doing it for the money rather than the principle.