West Virginia U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller called on Congress Tuesday to begin an investigation into whether News Corp head Rupert Murdoch oversaw nefarious activities conducted by journalists in the U.S.
“I am concerned that the admitted phone hacking in London by the News Corp. may have extended to 9/11 victims or other Americans,” Mr. Rockefeller, a Democrat, said in a statement. “If they did, the consequences will be severe.”
“This raises serious questions about whether the company has broken U.S. law, and I encourage the appropriate agencies to investigate to ensure that Americans have not had their privacy violated,” the West Virginia Democrat added.
The West Virginia Democrat’s call for an investigation comes as Mr. Murdoch is facing scrutiny over a series of investigative reporting tactics aimed at hacking phones owned by numerous high-profile figures, including former Prime Minster Gordon Brown.
Mr. Murdoch flew to London Tuesday in an attempt to curtail the crisis, which has already forced the closure of the News of the World, one of Mr. Murdoch’s most profitable newspapers.
Since the phone hacking scandal unexpectedly widened last week, the company’s New York-listed share price has shed about 15 per cent of its market value.
Earlier on Tuesday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genchowski said that the agency would not be involved in the ongoing investigation in the U.K., noting the bureau would only be involved and “do its job if issues arise.”
