I would guess that in most of these cases, those people were thrown overboard by their colleagues, in an effort to protect money from government or wide public.

Yes. People cave. Much easier for everyone to throw someone to the mob than to fight. That's the magic of people who mean it. Small groups of motivated people who mean it can easily cow larger groups who don't want a fight.

Most importantly, I don't believe Eliezer would jump on a political correctness bandwagon.

If he has meant at all what he has said about UFAI, he'll turn over the keys of LessWrong to the Thought Police in a second if it further the efforts for FAI, for much the same reasons that everyone else caves.

I began to weigh those who followed me, balancing them one against another, asking who I would risk, and who I would sacrifice, to what end. It was strange how many fewer pieces I lost, once I knew what they were worth.

Even a small, motivated group can destroy value. Everyone caves, unless they're equally looney.