JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ASKS NEWS CORP ABOUT PAYMENTS TO POLICE

The Justice Department has sent a Letter of Request to News Corp officials requesting more information about allegations that its News International unit made payments to London police for information that was used in its British newspapers. News Corp is an American corporation and as such is subject to the rules of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which bars bribing foreign officials. The report about the Justice Department’s letter was first reported by Bloomberg News and also appeared in today’s Wall Street Journal, which is owned by News Corp. Meanwhile, Scotland Yard said today (Wednesday) that, for the time being, it will not attempt to force reporters for the Guardian newspaper to reveal their police sources for reports about the telephone hacking scandal. The London Independent said that one officer working on the case was arrested on charges of unauthorized disclosure of information.