Andy Coulson, under arrest in London for his role in this scandal, went on to become communications director for Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative Party from 2007 through Cameron's election.
Hinton will also have to explain, in some detail, why News Corporation paid the man they blamed for this scandal, Andy Goodman, while he was serving time in a British prison.
"Questions
also remain over Hinton's approval of a payment to Goodman made after
the News of the World's royal editor had been jailed in January 2007." Guardian, July 8
This is reminiscent of the secret payments from the Republican Party to the Watergate burglars while they awaited trial in Judge John Sirica's court.
Meantime we shall express our darker purpose. King Lear
The questions about Hinton's competence and veracity arising from this spreading scandal lead right back to the credibility of the most prized possession of the Murdoch media empire, the credibility of his entire enterprise, the Wall Street Journal:
"Ilyse Hogue, who specialises in News Corporation affairs within the progressive campaign Media Matters,
said: "Given the evidence, Hinton was, at best, supremely neglectful in
his investigation or, at worst, he knew about wider wrongdoing and
brushed it under the rug. I think Americans are well within their rights
to question his role." Guardian, July 8
Ms. Hogue is very diplomatic. Review the Guardian video and testimony transcript at the end of this article. You will see what the Murdoch empire is all about. His key executives reflect the enterprises darker purpose. Rebekah Brooks, CEO of News International, admits to paying police for news information through 2003. She doesn't seem to think that it is illegal to do so. Les Hinton denies that he found any illegal phone jacking other than the reporter that the Murdoch paper gave up. Apparently he was unaware of the very long list of individuals indicating illegal snooping was a common affair. Hinton is followed by News of the World Editor from 2003 through 2007, Andy Coulson, who was arrested recently and is now in police custody for crimes related to this scandal. Without blushing, Coulson states that he never approved of illegal phone surveillance. If these are Murdoch's best, just imagine his worst.
For decades, Rupert Murdoch has seemed invincible. Now, like a tired Lear, he returns to the United Kingdom reportedly to shore up the empire as a result of the illegal activities targeting many, even crime victims and orphans.
Murdoch's rise to power, position, and wealth has seemed an irresistible force since then Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, was accused of helping Murdoch acquire United States media deal. Gingrich had just received a $4.5 million advance for a book from a Murdoch subsidiary.
The overlord of the press seems to want it both ways. His Fox News and tabloids are nothing less than engines for the basest scandal and dysfunction. At the same time, he displays the Times of London, the Wall Street Journal, and Dow Jones as signs of his credibility. Thanks to his over reach with his British tabloid, he is now the object of intense coverage by the British press from the Mirror to the Guardian.
Soon, Murdoch may have something of his own to cover " bail.
END
This article may be reproduced entirely or in part with attribution of authorship and a link to this article.
Also see John C. Dyer's excellent summary in Whirled View and Numerian's "Charles Augustus Milverton", Numerian's devastating commentary on Murdoch's moral decadence
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