With each passing day it is more and more apparent that Rupert Murdoch at the very least is going to find his ascent has been curtailed in the UK and possibly eventually in the United States. Reports of phone hacking by his papers of the royal family, a murder victim, British veterans and a report (not particularly well sourced but there are now calls from two U.S. Senators for the FBI to investigate) that his underlings wanted to hack the phones of 911 victims are one reason. The other reason is the attitude displayed here:
Rupert Murdoch and his son James today refused to give evidence to MPs over the News of the World phone hacking scandal.
Their refusal to appear came as the Sunday newspaper’s former editor Rebekah Brooks said she will answer questions over the affair next Tuesday.
In a letter, James Murdoch said he was too busy to be grilled, while his father said he would be willing to take part in a judge-led inquiry.
The executives will now be issued with a summons to appear before the Commons Culture Select Committee – however as they are foreign nationals they cannot be compelled to appear.
Not appearing on the grounds they are foreign nationals will be a valid legal response but will further soil the Murdochs’ increasingly sleazy image.
Rebekah Brooks will be forced to face a gruelling session of questioning alone. As she is a British citizen she would have been in contempt of court if she refused to attend.
Meanwhile, today Andy Coulson’s former deputy editor at the News of the World was being questioned in connection with the phone hacking probe.
Neil Wallis, 60, was held following a dawn raid by Metropolitan Police officers at his home in Chiswick, west London.
On another day of dramatic developments, Chairman of the Select Committee John Wittingdale said today that the Murdochs had refused to attend the hearing next Tuesday at 2.30pm.
James Murdoch had offered an alternative date of either August 10 or 11.
He added that: ‘We did not feel that was sufficient.’
Mr Wittingdale said Mr Murdoch senior and his son will now be summonsed to attend.
‘The Deputy Serjeant at Arms has gone to deliver the summons to them in person,’ he said.
Will the Murdochs be held in contempt? The UK Express:
Historically, offenders have been liable to imprisonment, but this has not been used for over a century.
The most recent consensus suggested non-members of both Houses of Parliament should be fined. Although News International has said it will co-operate with the MPs, it was feared the Australian-born media tycoon and his son could claim immunity from the hearing because they are not British citizens.
But parliamentary rules mean anyone on UK soil can be summoned before a committee regardless of their nationality.
Last night, MPs threatened to “empty chair” the three executives if they don’t turn up.
Committee member Tom Watson said the hearing will continue with the seats the Murdochs and Mrs Brooks should be occupying in place and their name plates on the desk in front of them.
Read this post for background about Murdoch and his impact on journalism.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.