After editor’s departure, Washington Post’s publisher faces questions about phone hacking stories

NEW YORK (AP) — The Washington Post’s new publisher is facing questions about whether he made efforts to conceal — in his own newspaper and elsewhere — his involvement in a British phone hacking scandal from his time working for Rupert Murdoch a decade ago.

The weeklong saga, which began with the abrupt departure of the Post’s executive editor Sunday night, offers a window into differences between approaches to journalism in Britain and the United States — and touches on delicate issues of trust in the American media community as it approaches a contentious and seismic presidential election.

The publisher and CEO, Will Lewis, has denied any wrongdoing in Britain and at the Post.

Lewis, a former publisher of The Wall Street Journal, arrived in January to turn around the Post, which is awash in red ink and seen its digital readership drop by a half since 2020. Lewis is also the vice chairman of The Associated Press’ board of directors.

He announced a restructuring plan on Sunday that did not include the top news executive, Sally Buzbee, who apparently was either forced out or chose not to accept a demotion. Buzbee, the former top news executive at the AP, has led the Post newsroom for three years. She has not talked about her departure.

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