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Now one executive short, Rupert Murdoch is scrambling to hire on some help to deal with the fallout from the phone hacking scandal that's dominated British headlines for the past two weeks. Follwoing some critical statements from News Corp.'s biggest stakeholder, Rebekah Brooks resigned from her post as chief executive of the company's British newspaper division, but Murdoch's company is still a long way from redemption. On Tuesday, Murdoch and his son James, News Corp.'s deputy chief operating officer, will face a Parliamentary committee to answer questions about the company's newspapers phone hacking practices and bribing police. Across the pond, the F.B.I. has launched an investigation into Murdoch's American activities, and U.S. attorney general Eric Holder is considering requests from lawmakers to open another.
Meanwhile, top brass at News Corp. are doing everything they can to build a good defense. So far it seems like Murdoch is burning money on a hilltop, as a beacon to light the way for his newly recruited rescue squad.
Defense lawyer Brendan V. Sullivan will be working with News Corp.'s legal team the deal with the escalating trouble in the United States. A prominent white-collar attorney and a partner at Williams & Connolly in Washington, Sullivan is best known for defending Oliver North during the Iran-Contra scandal and former head of the New York Stock Exchange, Richard A. Grasso, in a suit over his compensation. News of Sullivan's hire comes just one day after that of News Corp.'s chief lawyer Lawrence Jacobs resigning.