Will Rupert Murdoch have to testify before Parliament about phone hacking?
Lawyer Robert Jay suggested as much on Tuesday while questioning CNN’s Piers Morgan.
Morgan, a former employee of the News Corp. Chairman and CEO, began to offer his impression of a meeting he had with Murdoch back in 1995.
Jay cut him off and said he could ask Murdoch for his impression “when we get there.”
Does that mean Murdoch will appear? Maybe not, but it’s one of the first hints at such an outcome.
While a great deal has been made about James Murdoch, Rupert’s son and the Deputy COO of News Corp., the octogenarian has not been as frequently discussed as a potential witness.
Also read: Occupy Wall Street Swarms Rupert Murdoch's Home on 'Millionaire's March'
James and Rupert appeared side-by-side back in July, but it was only James called back for allegedly misleading the MPs.
While James directly oversaw the News of the World tabloid in his stewardship of News Corp.’s international operations, Rupert remained a degree above that in the corporate hierarchy.
Perhaps now Rupert will have some explaining to do as well.
As for Morgan, he continued his steadfast denials that he condoned any hacking.
Morgan was the editor of the News of the World from 1994 to 1995 and then the Daily Mirror until 2004. He insisted before Parliament that he was unaware of what the majority of his journalists were doing at any given time and was never concerned any of them were breaking the law. He also said he never hacked any phones and that he did not know of anyone else who did either.
He still believes former News of the World editor Clive Goodman is a scapegoat, but did not offer much evidence about anyone else who deserves blame.