Rebekah Brooks And Andy Coulson Charged – How Much Did James Murdock Know?

Over the years Rupert Murdock’s news empire run scandal stories aimed at everyone from politicians to Hollywood celebrities and random witnesses caught up in events.

Murdock has already been forced to pay millions of dollars to celebrities. The cases against Murdock’s UK operation are ongoing – but now his top executives are being brought before the courts, charged with serious offences including perverting the course of justice.

The biggest names are former editors of his Sunday scandal sheet News of the World, Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson – both closely linked with UK Prime Minister David Cameron.

Amongst the alleged scandals the News of the World splashed was the story of an Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt split back in 2010.

The story was later rubbished by the couple. They are still together, have got engaged and are planning marriage. But it is highly likely that Murdock’s hacks picked up false rumours as they listened to conversations between associates of the couple.

Just as they listened to Sienna Miller’s conversations when she was engaged to Jude Law. Murdock has since paid substantial damages to them. The Jolie and Pitt case has not been dealt with yet – but it is one of 600 cases of phone tapping that Murdock’s journalists carried out.

For years the News of The World ran with the denial that just one rogue reporter had been involved. It was a grotesque lie but the alleged cover up has landed Murdock’s former close associate Rebekah Brooks in dock. She is charged with removing documents and emails related to the charges – plus involvement in the phone hacking of murdered school girl Milly Dowler. This was the case which finally decided Murdock he would have to act – he closed the News of the World down.  

There are two big questions to be answered. The first is, how much of Murdock’s phone hacking in the UK was carried over into the US? His Fox TV and US scandal sheets have routinely rubbished Democratic politicians and in this election year the Democratic Campaign Committee has launched a Murdock Come Clean Internet bid to flush out the Murdock intrigues.

The second is, how much did Murdock’s son James know about the offences when he was running the UK end of the business? James has been withdrawn from the London firing line but the questions won’t go away. 

This could be the beginning of the end of Murdock’s global media empire. Where once he ruled politicians who came to court him – now he’s running for cover.

So are many of his former political friends.