3 petitions to investigate Rupert Murdoch

image from the Other 98%

As the News Corp scandal heats up in the UK, there’s increasing reason to believe Rupert Murdoch may have been involved in similar criminal activities in the United States. It’s already beyond the pale to mess with police investigations and buy your way into political office – but hacking the phones of 9/11 victims and their the families? That’s simply monstrous.
While there are increasing calls by public officials in the US to hold a full and proper criminal investigation… unless Washington hears from the American people, these calls could easily come to naught.
Enough is enough – it’s time for US authorities to investigate News Corp.

Petition by the other 98%
 Think Progress tell the Dept. of Justice to Investigate Murdoch petition

Media Matters: investigate Rupert Murdoch petition to U.S. Congress

The hounds have the scent and the Fox is running

Newscorp seems to be in a tad bit of discomfort.  Eric Holder who chickened out on holding terrorist trials in civilian courts, took time out from his crusade against pot smoking 16 year old kids and cancer patients, decided that since the FBI had previously announced an investigation of wrong doing by Newscorp, he could also.   Investigations are also underway in England and Australia all focusing on Newscorp, while media coverage in the US has been intensive with, of course, one exception.  This clip from Fox is just hilarious.  Fox anchors have been complaining that it is time to "move on", "their just piling on".  This from the station that for months showed video of two black guys outside a polling place as an "example of voter suppression",  or how about 2 years of daily coverage of the stupid fake birth certificate controversy and lets not forget Fox's Rev. Wright three month carnival.  So pile it on, please pile it on thick, with all the trimmings.

Investigate how deep is the murk in Murdoch's american media empire

from Media Matters
The charges against Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper, News of the World, have gotten so bad in recent days that people are being arrested and the entire newspaper was shut down. The Murdoch-owned tabloid, already under fire for allegedly hacking thousands of people's phones, reportedly hacked into the voicemail of murdered teenager Milly Dowler, potentially impeding a police investigation and giving her family false hope by deleting voicemails. Reports have also emerged of News of the World allegedly hacking the phones of families of fallen soldiers and the father of a victim of a July 2005 terrorist bombing. Image by World Economic Forum via Flickr
And why should we care about what's happening over there?
Simple: Murdoch's media empire includes Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Post. Murdoch has enormous political and cultural influence over our media. In fact, Murdoch's hand-picked selection to run the Wall Street Journal was longtime loyalist Les Hinton, who oversaw News Corp's British newspapers during the height of News of the World's alleged hacking activity. Hinton twice testified to the UK parliament that he had conducted a rigorous inquiry into the papers he oversaw and claimed hacking was limited to one reporter. That's right: Hinton, who ran the show for Murdoch as phone hacking became standard operating procedure, is now publisher of the one of the largest newspapers in the U.S.
For years, with your help, we've tracked the lies and deceit coming from Fox News. Now it appears that it's not just Fox that's the problem. The pattern of News Corp's misbehavior goes much deeper--and even into illegal behavior. The British government is investigating and now the Australians are also calling for an investigation of Murdoch's papers there.
Americans also need to know whether our privacy was violated by Murdoch reporters searching for a good scoop to sell news. Ask Congress to hold hearings to see just how far this scandal goes-and whether News Corp's record of breaching the public trust has affected us.
Join our call for Congressional hearings here.
We can't rely on News Corp, with its record of mismanagement, to address the problem. We must take proactive steps to address protect our privacy from News Corp's mismanagement. Murdoch's cover-up is falling apart, with serious consequences for hacking victims and News Corp shareholders alike.
Thank you for your support. Holding the media accountable is a full time job--and we couldn't do it without you.
Matt Butler
President and CEO
Media Matters for America

Related articles

• Les Hinton, Top Murdoch Deputy, Faces New Scrutiny In Hacking Scandal (huffingtonpost.com)
• Murdoch grip on reins comes under fire in hacking (seattlepi.com)
• As the scandal grows, could Murdoch exit Britain altogether? (independent.co.uk)