News Corp slaps down Trevor Kavanagh


by Sunny Hundal    
6:29 pm - February 14th 2012

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Part of Trevor Kavanagh’s wailing in the Sun on Monday was aimed at News Corporation itself.

He was complaining that the parent company was throwing its journalists under the bus by offering too many details to authorities. This sparked off chatter of ‘civil war’ within News International itself.

Today, a spokesperson for News Corp’s Management and Standards Committee (MSC) effectively said Kavanagh was talking nonsense:

The work of the MSC is focused on payments that look unlawful on the advice of lawyers who are expert in these matters, where there is evidence which looks to be payments to public officials, policemen or others, that is deemed to be relevant to the Elveden inquiry. It is not about lunches or drinks. That is a complete red herring.

This is about significant payments to a number of state officials that appear to be in breach of the law.

It’s not clear how sincere they are being here, but essentially Kavanagh is being slapped down.

The problem for News Corporation is that if it emerges their MSC group was hiding vital evidence from the police – it’ll just get worse for the company.

Remember, an FBI investigation may also be on its way.

The fun isn’t over yet.

Addendum Someone who wishes to remain anonymous made another point to me today I hadn’t considered.

Could Trevor Kavanagh’s wailing, along with the rest of the press, be counter-productive? The police are now under immense scrutiny to justify their actions. They’ve already faced a barrage of criticism for ignoring corruption and scandal at News International earlier. Soon they’ll also have to answer to the Leveson inquiry.

On the other side the press is complaining about this intrusion. Rather than backing off – this might spur them to work harder and justify their arrests of key journalists. After all, it would be another PR disaster if after all this they couldn’t produce anything to silence their critics at the Sun.

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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


1. Peter Jukes

Sunny

Three investigations have been ongoing since the summer from the FBI, DOJ and SEC. The most likely case is indictment under the FCPA act, especially since Obama has revitalised this with the Avon case.

The key thing is whether these investigations are close to indictments or grand jury hearings. News Corp’s hiring of yet more FCPA lawyers suggests so

2. Tris

Didn’t Mr Cameron’s dear friends Ms Brooks say, as she cleared her desk, something about how much more awful it would get.

3. Barbarian

Funny thing is, the Sun didn’t have a word to say about how a certain Mr Sheridan was dealt with – house searched, toddler in the house etc etc.

But now their own people are dealt with in a similar manner……….

The fact that an FBI investigation is underway is far more dangerous to News Intl.

All these politicians that have links – past and present – to the Sun must be twitching a little bit…….

4. rentergirl

Kavanagh’s whinging is counter productive and also hypocritical. But I am very much enjoying hearing it.

5. BenM

Sun hacks using Human Rights laws has me in stitches.

6. Paul

I hear sun journalists are now joining the union.

Oh sweet irony the union bashing scum with their tail between they’re legs

7. the a&e charge nurse

You may sound like a poor man’s John Cooper Clarke, but still, Charlie, I take my hat off to you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2rBDoCj2Gg


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Simon

    News Corporation slaps down Trevor Kavanagh's whining http://t.co/1SrAuoC0

  2. Summer Teh

    News Corp slaps down Trevor Kavanagh | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/wVKktUL0 via @libcon <good Sunny sign Avaaz petition @steveweinstein

  3. Michael Bater

    News Corp slaps down Trevor Kavanagh | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/i83E1gTm via @libcon

  4. Mags W

    News Corporation slaps down Trevor Kavanagh's whining http://t.co/1SrAuoC0

  5. severedelays

    News Corporation slaps down Trevor Kavanagh's whining http://t.co/1SrAuoC0

  6. francis rolt

    News Corporation slaps down Trevor Kavanagh's whining http://t.co/1SrAuoC0

  7. sunny hundal

    Could complaints by The Sun and other press about police intrusion be counter-productive? See update http://t.co/1SrAuoC0

  8. TomDelargy

    Could complaints by The Sun and other press about police intrusion be counter-productive? See update http://t.co/1SrAuoC0

  9. Paul Sandars

    Could complaints by The Sun and other press about police intrusion be counter-productive? See update http://t.co/1SrAuoC0

  10. graham

    News Corp slaps down Trevor Kavanagh | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/i83E1gTm via @libcon

  11. sunny hundal

    From last night – could wails by Trevor Kavanagh and Richard Littlejohn be counter-productive? (see update) http://t.co/1SrAuoC0

  12. nicky clark

    From last night – could wails by Trevor Kavanagh and Richard Littlejohn be counter-productive? (see update) http://t.co/1SrAuoC0

  13. Corruption allegations: The Sun in deep trouble | Liberal Conspiracy

    [...] The Sun in deep trouble by Sunny Hundal     February 27, 2012 at 5:44 pm I said last week that Trevor Kavanagh’s attack on the police investigation into possible corruption at the Sun [...]





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