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April 26, 2012

Murdoch Appears Before U.K. Phone Hacking Panel 
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News Corp chief executive Rupert Murdoch appeared before a British
inquiry on Wednesday to face new questions on the phone hacking scandal
that has engulfed his media empire. Under questioning from inquiry chair
Robert Jay, Murdoch repeatedly denied allegations of using his vast
media holdings to promote British politicians who aided his financial
interests.

Rupert Murdoch: "Mr. Jay, you keep inferring that endorsements were
motivated by business motives and if that had been the case we would
have endorsed the Tory party at every election, it was always more
pro-business. ... After a while if these lies are repeated again and
again they catch on and particularly if we're successful, people who are
resentful can grab onto them but they just aren't true."

Returning to testify earlier today, Murdoch apologized for the hacking
scandal, saying he had failed to pay sufficient attention to the
goings-on at his now-defunct newspaper, the News of the World. Outside
the British inquiry, members of the online group Avaaz gathered to call
for a full accounting for Murdoch's dealings with top British
politicians.

Will Davies: "We know that Rupert Murdoch met many ministers and the
prime minister and the purpose of the Leveson Inquiry is to find out who
knew what when. If heads need to roll, they should roll. The type of
crimes that the Murdochs and their staff are accused of, bribing the
police, hacking schoolgirls' phones, they are outrageous and people will
not stand for another cover-up."

 

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