Quite right, DHagar. When I worked in a legal environment, I came across many companies where everyone, from the CEO down, would stop whatever they were doing and listen when the corporate counsel put his or her foot down about something. At News International, they seem to have had a habit of ignoring and/or firing their lawyers.
I believe they have successfully manipulated and held power to accomplish anything that they want that the weakness is embedded in their whole organization culture. I think these are just repeat examples of what the organization is.
A good question, Mary. I think there's a deeply entrenched sense of unchallengeable personal power in that company. The other curious thing which I am not alone in observing is that there appears to be a culture of ignoring legal advice in News International.
I would assume the Murdochs were prepared by lawyers for this appearance. Did they pay attention? I've assisted attorneys in preparing witnesses for committee appearances and trial. One of the first pieces of advice is always not to lie. Apart from anything else, it can mean going to jail.
It's always a puzzle to me how folk in high places imagine they're above the scrutiny or consequences that haunt us lesser folk. I mean, how could the Murdoch gang have expected to get away with lying to Parliament?
Thanks for the comment, bolingbroke. I think I'm right in saying that a mistrial was declared in the Clemens case; it's open to the government to bring another prosecution.
As for Parliament, in theory it can throw someone in jail any time it wishes. This is most unlikely to happen. But if Murdoch or Coulson - and perhaps Coulson is most threatened here - did lie, there can be other penalties, and without a trial as such being required.
What I really had in mind, though, is that given Parliament's quite unfettered power to call witnesses and subpoena documents, liars stand a good chance of being found out. Lying to Congress is a bad idea for similar reasons; although I don't happen to know if Congress has the power to impose its own penalties. Anyone?
For anything to happen to James Murdoch for lying to Parliament we have to hope Parliament carries a larger and abler vengeful legalistic stick than say this country’s Congress, who was lied to by a bloated steroidal Roger Clemons, certainly not in the same league as the Murdochs.
Roger’s lawyer,cartoonish Rusty Hardin, a favorite subject of derision from TV late night wags, got the charges quickly dismissed due largely to ill paid government lawyer’s incompetence.
Would I want to be in James Murdoch’s shoes, certainly not, will he ever see the insides of HMP Wormwood Scrubs - never.
President Obama may soon earn the badge as "Mayor" of the White House, thanks to his joining the mobile check-in service, FourSquare. Let's all sigh in unison, shall we?
The FBI recently issued a warning to smartphone users, highlighting two mobile malware applications: Loozfan, which steals personal information, and FinFisher, which is spyware that takes over a smartphone's functions.
The Murdoch/News International scandal has all the elements of the digital age, from phone-hacking through embarrassing emails to agile digital reporting.
Malware designed to infect Google Android smartphones has increased dramatically, and now the government is stepping in. The National Security Agency has developed SE Android, a system that tries to close up its security holes.
The IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit in Monaco kicked into high gear today, and we've already begun to see news emerging from that lovely city-state by the sea.
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