CNN —William Lewis, the new publisher and chief executive of The Washington Post, reportedly tried to kill a story about his alleged involvement in a UK phone hacking scandal coverup, offering an NPR reporter an interview in exchange for squashing the forthcoming article. The decade-old UK scandal that engulfed right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s “News of the World” tabloid, was revived in recent years in a new lawsuit filed by Prince Harry and other notable figures including Guy Ritchie and Hugh Grant. Despite Lewis’ attempt to squash the story, NPR published the article in late December under the headline “New ‘Washington Post’ CEO accused of Murdoch tabloid hacking cover-up,” featuring a 2011 photo of Lewis with Murdoch. According to the Times, Lewis told Buzbee the story didn’t warrant coverage in the newspaper. Days later, when the judge in the UK case allowed allegations about Lewis to be included in the lawsuit, the Post published another story naming him.

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