Murdochs Summoned to Parliament

Rupert Murdoch, son James, and News International CEO Rebekah Brooks have been asked to appear before British Parliament. The trio will answer questions about the News of the World phone hacking scandal should they show up one week from today; the summoning is not binding but does ramp up pressure on News Corp, Politico reports. More:

• The hacking scandal continues to widen. Five senior police investigators discovered their voicemail had likely been hacked in 2006, soon after Scotland Yard began its initial investigation into the matter, the New York Times reports. And the revelation raises some sticky questions, like: Could this have caused investigators to ease up on the tabloid out of fear their private lives would be exposed? Members of Parliament will question several police officials today to determine whether the hacking impacted the police inquiry, which was initially very limited, and whether those hacked experienced a conflict of interest.

• Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown today accused Murdoch's media empire, specifically the Sunday Times, of hiring "known criminals" to gather personal details about his bank account, legal files, and taxes, the New York Times reports. Brown also believes the paper somehow got access to his son's medical records and passed it along to the Sun, a source says.
• Meanwhile, more reports are emerging that police officers were bribed for information on Brown, the royal family, and others, and that money was spent to secure a copy of the Green Book, which details the queen and Prince Charles' activities.
• In somewhat lighter Murdoch-related news, the Telegraph reports that the Simpsons episode that aired on Sky1 last night spoofed the scandal. In "Fraudcast News," tycoon Montgomery Burns buys up every media outlet in the town, leading Twitter users to note the parallels between the plot and Murdoch's plan to take over BSkyB.

(More News of the World stories.)