Disgraced News of the World reporter says editors knew of hacking
Fresh allegations came to light Tuesday that upper-level executives in the Murdoch media empire were aware of phone hacking by journalists at Britain’s now-defunct News of the World tabloid. A letter written four years ago by the paper’s Royal correspondent Clive Goodman was published Tuesday, alleging that phone hacking was “widely discussed” at editorial meetings with “the full knowledge and support” of other journalists. The letter also describes how then-editor Andy Coulson —who went on to work in Prime Minister David Cameron’s office — offered to let Goodman keep his job if he agreed not to implicate the paper in the hacking accusations he faced before the court. The letter raises doubts about the media company’s previous position that Goodman was hacking phones on his own, without the newspaper’s knowledge. It also casts doubt on testimony provided by Rupert Murdoch and his son James, who denied suspicions the company tried to buy off Goodman by paying his legal bills during the ordeal. The letter is dated March 2, 2007, shortly after Goodman was released from prison for intercepting the voicemail of three members of the Royal Family.