The Washington Post, one of the most respected news organizations in the United States, is facing a scandal involving its publisher and incoming editor. According to a former colleague, a private investigator, and an analysis of newspaper archives, it has been revealed that fraudulently obtained phone and company records were used in newspaper articles by journalists in London.
Will Lewis, the publisher of The Post, assigned one of the articles in 2004 as business editor of The Sunday Times. Another article was written by Robert Winnett, who was recently announced as The Post’s next executive editor. The use of deception, hacking, and fraud is at the center of a long-running British newspaper scandal that has led to lawsuits by celebrities who said their personal documents and voice mail messages were improperly obtained.
Mr. Lewis has denied any direct involvement in the controversy, stating that he only helped root out problematic behavior after the fact while working for Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation. However, a former Sunday Times reporter has come forward, stating that Mr. Lewis personally assigned him to write an article in 2004 using phone records obtained through hacking.
The scandal also involves a second article in 2002 by Mr. Winnett, where a private investigator later acknowledged using deception to obtain materials. Both articles were produced during a period when the newspaper acknowledged paying the private detective to obtain material surreptitiously, a practice that goes against the ethics codes of The Post and most American news organizations.
The revelations have raised questions about the ethical foundation of the new leadership at The Post. Mr. Lewis and Mr. Winnett are set to lead one of the most important news organizations in the country, known for providing independent checks on governments and holding the powerful accountable.
The scandal has brought new scrutiny to Mr. Lewis’s early career, particularly at The Sunday Times, where reporters relied on fraudulently obtained material for articles. The use of illegal tactics in journalism, known as the “dark arts,” has been a longstanding issue in British media, with tabloid newspapers often at the center of controversy.
As the scandal unfolds, questions about journalistic ethics and integrity continue to swirl around The Washington Post and its new leadership. The future of the organization and its reputation as a bastion of quality journalism hang in the balance.
