NoTW and News International... 'internal cleanup' activities now moved to... NY based Joel Kline.

[salin]

Been following (and updating) the story from the Guardian blog all day. This little gem - seems big.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/blog/2011/jul/08/news-of-the-world-phone-hacking-scandal#block-68

Rebekah Brooks is no longer in charge of the News International internal clean up committee – following a recommendation from James Murdoch and News Corp directors.

An official message sent to staff following her 4pm meeting reveals Will Lewis, Simon Greenberg and Jeff Palker – Brooks's lieutenants – will "report directly" to New York based Joel Klein on the clean-up.

Seems to indicate a greater role for Rupert - moving the efforts out of NewsInternational and son Jame Murdoch's sphere, and into NewsCorp's NY sphere.

from her words to the NoTW staff: For the avoidance of any doubt, however, the News Corporation independent directors agree with James Murdoch's recommendation that the Management and Standards Committee, comprised of Will Lewis, Simon Greenberg and Jeff Palker, report directly to Joel Klein in New York. Joel is leading and directing the Company's overall handling of this matter. Many of you will know that Joel is a respected former Assistant Attorney General of the United States. Joel and Viet Dinh, an independent director, are giving oversight and keeping our parent Company's Board advised as well.

I could be wrong - but... wow. This seems like a sign that the fear of the spread of the now toxicity of NoTW is growing to fast for NI to manage.

[salin]

1. more on Brookes statements:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/blog/2011/jul/08/news-of-the-world-phone-hacking-scandal#block-71

tells staff within the year it will be obvious why they had to make the decision to close down NoTW.

She still seems confident - but perhaps she shouldn't be.

[Hutzpa]

2. Here is what I'm looking forward to,

when this scandal comes to the United States then I'll know the Murdoch empire is on its way to oblivion.

One can only hope....:nopity:

[salin]

3. The question is *what* are they still hiding

and how far they went to a) peddle influence (not just over the cops - but over the govt) and b) to cover up what they had done and were likely still doing.

No one initially saw the demise of Arthur Anderson - and they only a partner - not the parent of Enron. Very different situations - only common thread is the sudden toxicity that disallowed the typical corporate slight of hand (think Haliburton still being in good standing).

I am moving from skeptical (that it could become a take down) to captivated in following the threads - due to some creeping cautious optimism.

[madfloridian]

4. They are going to report to THIS Joel Klein?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Klein

[salin]

6. YEP.

Interesting. Eh.

[malaise]

5. The shite will soon hit the fan

This is huge!!!

[salin]

7. Guessing there will be fits and starts ... lulls before a really big implosion

though it appears that we are perhaps much further along the road of fits and starts and towards implosion than we could have guessed even a couple of weeks ago.

[Hutzpa]

8. An implosion is more likely

and that will occur once this crosses the Atlantic.

I'm sure there are people out there whom have been phone hacked here in
America, but do not understand how certain information got out, it could
have been because of ignorance or just plain naivety.

[salin]

9. Aleardy been a little speculation per Murdoch's NYC tabloid.

mostly speculative sniffing around the hems.