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James Murdoch to face 2nd grilling in Parliament
Chief Executive Officer of News International James Murdoch gives evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee on the News of the World phone-hacking scandal in this image taken from TV in Portcullis House in central London Tuesday, July 19 2011. (AP Photo)
LONDON - A senior British lawmaker said Tuesday that News Corp. executive James Murdoch will be called back to face a second grilling before U.K. legislators.
John Whittingdale, the chairman of Parliament's media committee, said today that Murdoch would be recalled.
James Murdoch, the Chief Executive Officer of News International, last appeared in Parliament along with his father Rupert on July 19.
Complete coverage: Murdoch in crisis
Last week the Culture Media and Sport Committee released further evidence it had acquired in its investigation of the cell phone hacking scandal that led to the dissolution of the News of the World.
Whittingdale told Sky News that the committee was nearing the end of its deliberations but was recalling some witnesses to tie up "loose ends."
At issue are discrepancies between James Murdoch's testimony given in July and subsequent evidence given to the committee by former NOTW editor Colin Myler and former News International attorney Tom Crone.
Last Tuesday Crone and Myler both reiterated their prior assertions that they had consulted with James Murdoch about a settlement to Gordon Taylor, the footballer whose cell phone messages were hacked by a private investigator for NOTW and who subsequently received a settlement of ?700,000 ($1.1 million).
Crone said that in order to settle the Taylor case the details had to be explained to Murdoch, to get his approval of the settlement. Among the items discussed in the 2008 meeting was an email that showed phone hacking was widespread at the paper.
"I am as certain as I can be," Myler said, that the document had been discussed.
James Murdoch has denied this.
Whittingdale said before Murdoch is recalled the committee wants to interview ex-News executive Les Hinton about payments made to NOTW royal correspondent Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire. The two were imprisoned for eavesdropping on voicemail messages.
The committee also seeks to speak with Mark Lewis, an attorney representing victims in the hacking case.
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