An Amazon.com Inc. executive has publicly addressed general counsel David Zapolsky's now-infamous remarks about fired warehouse worker and protest organizer Chris Smalls.

David Zapolsky, senior vice president, general counsel and secretary of Amazon.com Inc.

"Well, I think—it's unfortunate—I think it's unfortunate because—you know, I think his frustration got the better of him in that comment," Dave Clark, the tech giant's head of operations, said of Zapolsky in an interview with "60 Minutes" on CBS News that aired May 10.

Zapolsky had described Smalls, who is black, as "not smart, or articulate," according to leaked internal notes that Vice News obtained. He also reportedly said that if the "press wants to focus on us versus him [Smalls], we will be in a much stronger PR position than simply explaining for the umpteenth time how we're trying to protect workers."