Politics & Crime Politickin’ With John Brown: The Phone Tap

Is Rupert Murdoch the real Big Brother, manipulating the minds of millions for the sake of power and profit? Short answer: yes. Running right-wing propaganda machines, including FOX News and the NY Post, is bad enough, but recent allegations of illegal phone tapping to acquire celebrity gossip adds a sinister notch to the belt of Murdoch’s sleazy empire.

Sure, tabloid news is a competitive market and the rules of engagement are vague. But intercepting phone calls for exclusives is illegal. That’s not to say it doesn’t produce headlines. Let’s look back at some modern cases of the phone tap…