Murdochs Resist Calls to Appear Before Parliament

[spanone]

LONDON — A British parliamentary panel said Thursday that Rupert Murdoch and his son James had refused to testify next week about the phone hacking at their beleaguered British media outpost, while Rebekah Brooks, its chief executive, had agreed to appear, even as police arrested one more former employee.

But the panel said it would still demand that the two Murdochs — father and son — appear before the Commons Culture Select Committee, which “has made clear its view that all three should appear to account for the behavior of News International and for previous statements made to the committee in Parliament, now acknowledged to be false.”

“Accordingly the committee has this morning decided to summon Rupert Murdoch and James Murdoch to appear before the Select committee in Parliament at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19, 2011,” the committee said.

It was not clear how the Parliamentary committee members could enforce their order since both Rupert and James Murdoch are American citizens. Neither was it clear how the two men would respond to the parliamentary order. Ms. Brooks is British and she said in a separate letter released by the committee to the Press Association news agency that, while she would appear before the panel next Tuesday, she might not be able to answer detailed questions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/15/world/europe/15hacking.html?_r=1&hp=&pagewanted=print

[dipsydoodle]

1. She can avoid answering questions

on the basis that the question / answer may be the subject of an ongoing police investigation.

[SoCalDem]

2. They will probably just divest themselves of any UK interests

and high-tail it for the good ole USofA, where they will be safe from prosecution.

[spanone]

3. you are probably correct. the republicans will do their best to protect their 'voice'

[SoCalDem]

4. and the way it takes "complicated" cases YEARS & YEARS

to get to court, at 80+, Ole Rupert may not even be alive by that time..

[KharmaTrain]

6. The "Global Economy"

They may be able to avoid any prosecution or being compelled to testify, but in the court of global business that move is already proving to be disastrous. Between the folding of the NotW and his losing out on buying BSkyB (and probably being forced to divest of the 30% he currently owns), his corporate stock is in freefall. He had to spend millions of his own to buy back stock yesterday to prevent the stock price from falling into penny stock land. But it may be too late.

The longer this scandal goes and grows the bigger the financial hit is is on his holdings here and in other countries. I wouldn't be surprised if the Saudi Prince that holds a good chunk of Newscorpse stock is quietly getting Rupert's golden parachute ready. For someone like Murdoch, losing one's wealth and power is the ultimate prison sentence...and the verdict may be handed down sooner rather than later. Stay tuned...

[SoCalDem]

8. I won't be shedding any tears for the asshole.. I'm sure he's

got more than enough stashed away for his family's future...but I will be happy to see him off the stage:)

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. 'Just'? If they did, it would be a complete defeat for them

and I don't think for a moment they would get rid of all of their UK interests. News Corp's BSkyB stake is worth billions. The remaining papers are still worth something. News Corp bought the 'Shine' TV production company from Elisabeth Murdoch for £415 million; that include the 'Kudos' company, and produces a lot of successful TV.

No, one or both of them may fly back to the USA, but they won't sell the UK TV assets. That's what Rupert has been fighting to expand, for years.

[malaise]

5. Well they can deport his sorry ass the way they send Jamaicans

(who haven't committed Murdoch's crimes) home every day he's not a British citizen.

Defuggingport him.

[hobbit709]

7. didn't fox always push the meme of

"If you've got nothing to hide, what are you afraid of?"

[gratuitous]

10. What would they expect Murdoch to say?

Because I can sum it up for Parliament right now: "I don't recall. I'm not involved in the day-to-day workings of my company. I don't know anything about that. No, money just falls out of the sky into my pocket. Yes, lots and lots of money. But that doesn't mean I'm all that curious to know where it comes from. Don't question a good thing, you know? So no, I don't know anything about anything that went on in my company. Look, is this going to take much longer? I've got a 10:30 tee time. See ya!"