Peter King Seeks FBI Investigation Of News Corporation 9/11 Hack Report

WASHINGTON -- The powerful Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee is demanding that the FBI investigate Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. over reports his defunct News of the World tried to hack 9/11 victims' phones.

Murdoch recently closed the popular British Sunday tabloid after revelations the paper had hacked into voicemail accounts of crime victims -- including erasing the messages of a slain girl. The fallout cost Murdoch a $12 billion bid for British Sky Broadcasting and sparked a major bribery and hacking probe in England.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) called Tuesday for U.S. authorities to look into the privacy invasions after reports the paper tried to bribe a New York City police officer to get access to the phones of 9/11 victims.

Now Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) is demanding that FBI Director Robert Mueller open a probe, becoming the most prominent Republican to demand an investigation into the corporate parent of the conservative-leaning Fox News.

King wrote to Mueller Wednesday, ripping the actions of Murdoch's minions.

"It is revolting to imagine that members of the media would seek to compromise the integrity of a public official for financial gain in the pursuit of yellow journalism," King wrote. "The 9/11 families have suffered egregiously, but unfortunately they remain vulnerable against such unjustifiable parasitic strains."

"I make this request not only as the Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, but as a Member of Congress who represents a district that lost more than 150 constituents in those terrorist attacks," he wrote. "It is my duty to discern every fact behind these allegations."

Officials at the Department of Justice and the FBI did not immediately answer requests for comment.

Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat on the House Rules Committee, also called for investigations and possibly hearings.

"These latest allegations demand a swift and immediate inquiry by the appropriate agencies into whether any U.S. laws were broken," she said. "All available options should be pursued -- including investigations by the Department of Justice and Congressional hearings."

Update -- 6:40 p.m.: A Justice Department spokeswoman confirmed that a number of requests from lawmakers were under review, but declined to comment further.

Comments

[kasinca]

11:57 PM on 07/14/2011

I suspect King is trying to jump out in front of an investigation.

[thundermummy]

11:35 PM on 07/14/2011

He just wants to control the dialogue so nothing comes of it.

[robert49347]

08:33 PM on 07/14/2011

King's only purpose in calling for this hearing is to try and lessen the backlash when Murdock's media empire, including FOX LIES is found to be a criminal enterprise. How much free air time has Murdock's FOX given King, do you think he is not scared he will be painted with the Murdock brush, something he greatly deserves as do most Republicans.

[SubgeniusMustHaveSlack]

02:45 PM on 07/14/2011

Whitewash coming.

[destin023]

01:43 PM on 07/14/2011

public outrage is always spicy but political outrage against one's interests always leaves me in a quandary to the sincerity of it all..

[Plaintruth]

01:10 PM on 07/14/2011

Why would Republican Peter King seek an FBI investigation of News Corporation's 9/11 hacking report claims? Is Republican Peter King a "maverick" or "independent" Republican seeking a true investigation or is this self-serving posturing for a re-election bid ?

Why would any Republican want an investigation of News Corporation's alleged crimes involving hacking of voice mails? Are there any ethical Republicans who want a "fair and balanced" investigation into right-wing leaning News Corporation's hacking into voicemails of both crime and 9/11 victims?

Just asking :)

[ElDru]

05:20 PM on 07/14/2011

Because sometimes [some] Republicans do the right thing.

[JacksonHts]

06:22 PM on 07/14/2011

or he is grandstanding and pandering as he usually does

[vobox3343]

12:28 PM on 07/14/2011

It's called attempting to distance themselves from the obvious. Another case of "we know nothing."

[george6090]

12:18 PM on 07/14/2011

Murdock has many friends on both sides of the isle and a country full of money. This will be washed away in the very short news cycles we live with and want. Americans have no focus and cannot live with any news story more than a few days, unless there is real tragedy, sex, or the missing person is young, blond and blue eyed. Then they will thrive on it for a long time.

[missmanners]

11:58 AM on 07/14/2011

Remember Watergate.

The republicans had to jump in against Nixon to avoid being tainted.

How would it look when all was said done to have defended Nixon?

When the police officers that took bribes are exposed in UK, the News Corps will have broken US law.

[Jimmy 61762]

11:56 AM on 07/14/2011

Rep. King must be the Charley McCarthy of modern times,oops Charley McCarthy was a wooden headed dummy,then again ,I am right.

[HairFarmer]

11:55 AM on 07/14/2011

I cannot believe I am saying this , however I must....Thank You Peter King

[bandguy]

01:37 PM on 07/14/2011

Ditto.

[Jeffrey Osborne]

11:30 AM on 07/14/2011

rico laws were put in place to catch mafia dons,well what about ceo s running companys making more than a mafia don could ever dream of.what was ruperts first instict to promote the guy i think he is quielty of association

[HelloWerld]

10:45 AM on 07/14/2011

Take down FOX too. Finger crossed that propaganda machine of liars and opportunists goes down soon.

[Huzie]

10:35 AM on 07/14/2011

Ah, I think my congressman wants to be a senator. He is a fraud, and he has never represented my interests. When I wrote him about some concerns I had with what he was supporting he responded by telling me I didn't know what I was talking about. He is partisan above all else. The only thing he has done in his congressional career that I admired, was that he refused to vote yes to impeach Bill Clinton. He said that what Clinton committed did not constitute high crimes and misdemeanors. He was right .Chalk ONE up for Peter King

[thatbrothasmoove6]

10:24 AM on 07/14/2011

"Members of the media". That's rich.