Actually, there were 26 guys who hit the A standard of 1:47.50 and declared. The next and last guy in was Roller from Virginia at 1:47.63. Then the next eight times are 71, 75, 80, 81, 82, 83, 86, 87.
I can't come up with a justification for adding one guy and stopping there other than the .08 gap was felt to be large enough to be a breaking point. And that justification is weak.
27 guys in a four heat event is unjustifiable. The heat with six guys is a huge advantage, just because it's one less body for the traffic, even if it the slowest guy.
As for the email, if I got one that said not more than 30, I would conclude/guess that 30 would get in and get my butt to Eugene. I understand it legally, they never guaranteed 30, blah, blah, blah, but come on, it's human nature to think that way.
As others have said, one guy having complete, unquestioned authority and who never has to explain himself, is just wrong.