The British police special enquiry team is currently investigating allegations against Will Lewis, the current chief executive of the Washington Post. These allegations involve the deliberate destruction of emails during Lewis’s time working for Rupert Murdoch’s UK newspaper business 13 years ago. The investigation was prompted by a complaint made by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who raised concerns about the destruction of evidence and subsequent cover-up related to the phone-hacking scandal.
In a letter to Brown, Mark Rowley, the Met’s senior officer, assured him that the special enquiry team is reviewing the contents of his complaint. The issues raised by Brown are considered complex and will require thorough investigation due to the seriousness of the allegations.
Brown, in an article for the Guardian, questioned Lewis’s suitability to lead a prominent US newspaper like the Washington Post. He accused Lewis of unethical behavior during his time at Murdoch’s company and raised doubts about his integrity. Brown alleged that Lewis attempted to falsely implicate him in a crime he did not commit, indicating a potential cover-up.
Documents revealed during high court civil actions shed light on a meeting between Lewis and Met police detectives in 2011. Lewis justified the deletion of emails by accusing Brown of orchestrating a plot to obtain emails belonging to senior executives at Murdoch’s company. However, these claims were deemed unbelievable by the officer leading the hacking investigation.
Despite Lewis’s denial of any wrongdoing, the controversy surrounding the destruction of emails and potential cover-up has raised serious questions about his integrity. Brown believes that the deleted emails could have revealed further intrusions into the privacy of innocent individuals and shed light on unethical practices within Murdoch’s media empire.
The ongoing civil actions related to phone hacking have exposed the extent of intrusion and misconduct within Murdoch’s media outlets. Brown revealed that his personal information was accessed through various illegal means, demonstrating the lengths to which Murdoch’s group went to gather information for political and commercial gain.
While News UK has denied any wrongdoing and accused Brown of only presenting partial information, the seriousness of the allegations and the evidence presented during civil actions suggest a more profound issue at hand. The investigation into Lewis’s involvement in the email deletions and cover-up is crucial in uncovering the truth behind the phone-hacking scandal and holding those responsible accountable for their actions.
