The story traces who knew what about the phone hacking and when they know it right up to Andy Coulson. And there it stops. In the chain of command at News International (News Corp.'s British subsidiary), if Andy Coulson knew something then his mentor and boss, Rebekah Brooks, knew it, and if Rebekah knew it, then James Murdoch knew it (this is a very tight office and social circle), and if James knew it, then his father knew it. And who knew what when about the hacking is only a prelude to who knew what when about the cover up and the obstructing and suborning of investigations into the hacking. Murdoch can control the powers that be in London--and walk free. But if he's going to take the New York Times down, its message is that he and his son are going down, too. Even the nice boys can play rough.
