...But in a more fundamental sense, James' luck has finally run out. The publication of the newly discovered emails between him and the then editor of the News of the World documents not only the mechanism of a big cover-up but also, crucially, the way that James has repeatedly shifted his story and sought to blame others. It is not a good look for the would-be captain of a mighty international corporation.
The News of the World's then editor, Colin Myler, and lawyer Tom Crone have always testified that James was in on the cover-up, which involved paying more than £700,000 to hacking victim Gordon Taylor as the price of his silence. Back in July 2009, Myler told the media committee: ''Myself and Mr Crone … went to see James Murdoch and told him where we were with the situation … James Murdoch was advised of the situation.''
But two years later, after the collapse of the cover-up, James was still pleading ignorance. ''The company paid out-of-court settlements approved by me. I now know that I did not have a complete picture when I did so.'' To the committee, he claimed that Crone and Myler had concealed from him the smoking gun - an email transcribed by News of the World reporter Ross Hindley and marked ''for Neville'', i.e. Neville Thurlbeck, the paper's chief reporter. MP Tom Watson asked James: ''Did you see or were you made aware of the 'for Neville' email, the transcript of the hacked voicemail messages?'' He replied: ''No, I was not aware of that at the time.''
Myler and Crone then openly contradicted him, saying: ''James Murdoch's recollection of what he was told when agreeing to settle the Gordon Taylor litigation was mistaken.'' James fought back: ''They did not show me the email, nor did they refer to Neville Thurlbeck … Neither Mr Myler nor Mr Crone told me that wrongdoing extended beyond Mr Goodman or Mr Mulcaire.''...
The News of the World's then editor, Colin Myler, and lawyer Tom Crone have always testified that James was in on the cover-up, which involved paying more than £700,000 to hacking victim Gordon Taylor as the price of his silence. Back in July 2009, Myler told the media committee: ''Myself and Mr Crone … went to see James Murdoch and told him where we were with the situation … James Murdoch was advised of the situation.''
But two years later, after the collapse of the cover-up, James was still pleading ignorance. ''The company paid out-of-court settlements approved by me. I now know that I did not have a complete picture when I did so.'' To the committee, he claimed that Crone and Myler had concealed from him the smoking gun - an email transcribed by News of the World reporter Ross Hindley and marked ''for Neville'', i.e. Neville Thurlbeck, the paper's chief reporter. MP Tom Watson asked James: ''Did you see or were you made aware of the 'for Neville' email, the transcript of the hacked voicemail messages?'' He replied: ''No, I was not aware of that at the time.''
Myler and Crone then openly contradicted him, saying: ''James Murdoch's recollection of what he was told when agreeing to settle the Gordon Taylor litigation was mistaken.'' James fought back: ''They did not show me the email, nor did they refer to Neville Thurlbeck … Neither Mr Myler nor Mr Crone told me that wrongdoing extended beyond Mr Goodman or Mr Mulcaire.''...
His pathetic defense is that everything was done by Mrs. Peacock in the Kitchen with a knife.
