Rupert Murdoch assembles US legal team over phone-hacking scandal

[Turborama]

Source: The Guardian

Appointment of litigation veteran Brendan Sullivan suggests News Corp boss is readying for bitter legal battle in America

Ed Pilkington in New York | Monday July 18 2011 17.25 BST

Rupert Murdoch is assembling a team of US lawyers with expertise in fighting large federal criminal cases, suggesting he is readying himself for a bitter legal battle in America as a result of the phone-hacking scandal.

At the centre of the team is Brendan Sullivan, one of America's most experienced lawyers, who over 40 years in litigation has acquired a reputation for taking on difficult and sensitive cases. He represented Oliver North, the US marine corps officer, in congressional hearings over the Iran-Contra affair.

At the time of the hearings in 1987, Sullivan was described by the Washington Post as "the legal equivalent of nuclear war". A fellow lawyer said: "He asks no quarter and gives no quarter."

Sullivan describes himself as a specialist in "high-profile criminal litigation", whose typical clients include major companies involved in "criminal investigations, litigation or government regulatory matters". He is the author of Techniques for Dealing with Pending Criminal Charges or Criminal Investigations.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/18/rupert-murdoch-us-legal-team

[Demeter]

1. If My Name Were Murdoch, I'd Be Outta Here

renouncing US citizenship and pleading for Australia to take me back.

[No Elephants]

17. Maybe he could take Assange's place.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. He better hurry. So many people are hiring lawywers to sue

him he needs to act fast before they are all engaged against him.

[monmouth]

3. Rupert and Ailes must have pulled some real s%#t here in the

States to hire this guy..The operative word here is uh oh..

[Proletariatprincess]

4. I hope this means that the USA is serious about taking on the Murdock Empire.

I have my doubts....

[cstanleytech]

12. Aye, I have grave doubts myself.

We all saw how lax the governments been in enforcing the rules towards these large corporations after all and have approved merger after merger regardless of how questionable said merger might be.

[Tx4obama]

16. The FBI is investigating Murdoch/NewsCorp, AND....

Sen Durbin is calling for a Congressional investigation.

But you have doubts? LOL.

[SpiralHawk]

5. "Send lawyers, gun, and lies." - Rupie MurdOCH (R)

[myrna minx]

6. This is a bad, bad day for Murdoch.

:D

[EFerrari]

7. Couldn't happen to a more deserving guy.

:)

[myrna minx]

8. I had no idea that I was capable of so much schadenfreude, but I am!

:D

[EFerrari]

10. I usually suck at it but Murdoch seems to be a special case.

:party:

[No Elephants]

18. I think many of us are finding our dark side on this one. We're simultaneously disappointed and

delighted, similar when we break a New Year resolution.

[BNJMN]

20. Unless he serves hard time (unlikely) he has wealth beyond reckoning and will continue in that

...manner.

Most likely, he lives in a separate world than you or I ever will.
Than you or me? Than me or you? Whatever. He's a world apart.

[GliderGuider]

9. Wow. Defcon 3!!!

I haven't had this much fun since the pigs ate Haldeman and Ehrlichman.

[Historic NY]

11. And Ollie was convicted of a felony....too.

[leveymg]

13. You've gotta wonder what's going on at the Justice Dept and US Dist.Court Bldg. Grand Jury, anyone?

Reasons to be cheerful? One-two-three . . .

[No Elephants]

19. We'll soon see, but, no matter what, Murdoch's arrogant old age and his

smugness about the empire and legacy he will leave behind has been damaged, as has his seemingly omnipotent and bulletproof brand. I imagine Jr. has soiled some linen, too.

[Imagevision]

14. Obama instructed Holder to cancel Rove investigation, same with Murdoch

[donheld]

15. Dewey, Cheatem & Howe?

[nolabels]

21. When will we as a people assemble and erect a commitee to expunge this scurge

Who in the hell does this SOB think he is anyway? A mob of twenty million beats a thousand lawyers every time! When do we stop playing checkers and get on with the chess game?