News Corp to Regan: Don't Hurt Rudy!

According to a former employee, News Corporation Really Does Love Rudy!

Judith Regan, former HarperCollins publisher (remember the OJ tell all book "If I Did It?) and Bernie Kerik cuddler, has filed a lawsuit aTuesday gainst former bosses HarperCollins and parent company News Corporation protesting her firing earlier this year. In the lawsuit, Regan claims that she was pressured by a senior executive to lie about her relationship with Bernard Kerik in order to protect the political aspirations of long-time Giuliani buddy Roger Ailes, director of News Corp's Fox News.

From the New York Times report:

The lawsuit asserts that the News Corporation executive wanted to protect the presidential aspirations of Rudolph W. Giuliani, Mr. Kerik's mentor, who had appointed him New York City police commissioner and had recommended him for the federal post.

Ms. Regan makes the charge at the start of a 70-page filing that seeks $100 million in damages for what she says was a campaign to smear and discredit her by her bosses at HarperCollins and its parent company, News Corporation, after her project to publish a book with O.J. Simpson was abandoned amid a storm of protest.

Now, mind you, this IS a lawsuit by a disgruntled employee in a pretty tough lawsuit city. That said, make note that Fox News has been accused for awhile now of propping up Rudy's campaign (Hannity has hosted fund-raisers for him) and he gets much more face-time on Fox than other candidates. Roger Ailes served as Giuliani's media consultant during his mayoral campaign and Rudy later performed Roger's wedding ceremony. Could they have a reason to protect Rudy? Perhaps. In this instance I'll just report. You can decide...:)

Update: Rudy's reaction:

"I don't respond to the story at all. I don't know anything about it, and it sounds to me like kind of a gossip column story more than a real story."

On whether he knew of Regan-Kerik relationship: "Again, I think that's a gossip column story. The last thing in the world you want to do when you're running for president is respond to gossip column stories."