Never, ever, ever ignore the white hot rage of a media personality diva scorned.
Judith Regan, the book publisher who was fired by the News Corporation last year, asserts in a lawsuit filed today that a senior executive at the media conglomerate encouraged her to mislead federal investigators about her relationship with Bernard B. Kerik during his bid to become homeland security secretary in late 2004.
The lawsuit asserts that the News Corporation executive wanted to protect the presidential aspirations of former Mayor 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, the News Corporation…
“Defendants were well aware that Regan had a personal relationship with Kerik,” the complaint says. “In fact, a senior executive in the News Corporation organization told Regan that he believed she had information about Kerik that, if disclosed, would harm Giuliani’s presidential campaign. This executive advised Regan to lie to, and to withhold information from, investigators concerning Kerik.”
One of Regan’s lawyers says that they have evidence that backs up her assertions on the “ix-nay on the Udy-Ray” kibosh. I’m with Oliver: I, too, wonder how the other GOP candidates feel about the cozy Rudy/Newscorp silencing of Judith on his behalf favor? Does this constitute an in-kind muting? Which ”senior executive” at NewsCorp told Judith not to imperil the Rudy Love Train? Here’s hoping the civil suit filing has a few exhibits attached thereto… (More on the complaint here.)
Is it me, or does this sound like one, long, delicious e-mail and recorded voicemail catfight between Regan — long-time GOP dirty laundry secret keeper — and Rupert Murdoch, who hates to lose so much he’ll likely be willing to spend anything to grind her into the dust, and damn the consequences. Neither of them has the scruples or the sense to hold back when they get riled up or challenged and, from what I hear, nothing gets Rupert going like Judith on a button-pushing bender.
Grandma, stock up on the popcorn and prepare for depositions galore. It’s the Clash of the Titan Egos.
Golly, I sure am looking forward to that next Brian Williams interview with Rudy, because I’m sure this and many other controversies swirling around his candidacy will be asked about in depth. *crickets* (H/T to Boehlert at Media Matters) More on Regan’s “legacy” can be found via TBogg, Wolcott, Kevin Allman, Lindsey at Majikthise, and especially New York Magazine here and here. And, just because his perspective on this would have been gold, Gilliard via Wolcott on the Rudy and Bernie show.
(Photo via FngKestrel. H/T to dakine and to Oliver Willis for the NYTimes article link.)
Related posts:
- Bernie Kerik Indicted for Lying to White House
- Late Night: Sarah Palin Consults Her Little Black Book
- Auto Retirees were Promised Health Care; GM Deal Breaks the Promise
- Stickin’ with the Union: The Republic Window Saga
- Early Morning Swim: Rachel Breaks Story about Obama Extending Benefits to Same Sex Partners
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Wow! Two in a row?
This is fascinating. I wonder how much fallout on Ghouliani?
Of course, I just wrote a letter to the editor of the Chicago Tribune, decrying the lack of “real” news in their front section.
So does that mean I can’t read all of this juicy stuff?
Hello again, Christy!
9/11/9/11/9/11/9/11/9/11/9/11/9/11/9/11
Perfect post timing! Fly-by here from the coolest city in America…Fargo. On his regional show this a.m., Ed Schultz is saluting the closed door, behind the scenes appearance of “Rotten Rudy” [sung to the tune of Rockin’ Robin] in town today.
The song is a hoot and I hope it’ll be be on the ‘net soon. Expect it’ll get big play on the national show shortly.
Now why is my visual image of Rotten Rudy a cock-a-roach-a…hmmmmmm?
allan_in_upstate @ 4
Ceck out Rudy’ first TV ad.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/058811.php
allan_in_upstate @ 4
November 9 is a day that will live in infamy.
Q: When she was doin’ Bernie, was she on the job? Book research?
BobbyG @ 8
Billable hours.
encouraged her to mislead federal investigators
criminal act?
punaise @ 10
Why don’t we ask Scooter?
Judith Regan said she has a few “juicy” tapes of conversations with NewsCorp execs.
And yes, there will be a fallout for Giuliani on this one, even if NewsCorps settles. Judith Regan is just as nasty as Giuliani, and more foul-mouthed. According to the grapevine, when she was f*cking Kerik, she busted his chops.
And her divorce from her ex-husband (and father of her two kids) was dragged-out and quite brutal, mostly coming from her.
(Apologies for the F-word, but it’s a favorite of Judith’s.)
1. Well…..did Ms. Regan actually, and in fact, give misleading statements to the cops? If so, it seems to me like she ought to be more worried about jail instead of lawsuits.
2. I sorta-kinda understand her argument….sorta. BUT…..aren’t we all ultimately, and individually responsible for what we say or do? I mean, suppose Ms. Smith, over the internet, suggests that I lie to some cops who want to question me. Well, “bad” on Ms. Smith….but ultimately it’s ME that must take responsibility for my own actions.
3. Still, whatever embarrassment this brings to any of the named individuals shall be met with great laughter by me!
Ghostman
BobbyG @ 11
I’m worried about commutation or pardon for Kerik (ergo, Ghouliani) if this yummy scandal is wrapped up before 1/09. Am I freakin’ out for no reason?? BTW, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve done that…:)
Ghostman @ 13
Y’know, since I actually have no life, I read that complaint pdf file yesterday. Mount Everest Ego, all right. I can’t believe how much of that thing they devoted to extolling what a Literary Megastar she was/is.
Biodun @ 12
Someone get Suzanne’s swear jar, quick! Biodun owes a quarter!
msmolly @ 16
Thank you for bringing that up. I stayed up long enough last night to get some time (and dirty words) in at Late Night and was wondering – is this virtual money or do I really send a check to FDL?
I also find the timing interesting. Before the primaries? She must have been sitting on this for a while. Why now?
In other news, popcorn futures soar…
merciless at 18 — She was fired in December of last year. It does take a while to put together a complex filing, but this has been quite a while. Which says to me that there were some back-door negotiations that stalled and/or sputtered altogether.
Or that she’s crafty enough to have timed this for the primaries to get a twofer: piss off Murdoch and torpedo Giuliani for maximum publicity for herself.
A little Blue America Rage..Howie has the anti-Rahm ad up..it’s good.
DWT
merciless @ 18
Yes, great sense of timing. Discovery during prez race should be delicious.
OTOH, what are the chances of an out-of-court settlement, soon?
Ghostman @ 13
IANAL but it seems reasonable to believe that the “NewsCorp exec” who urged her to lie to Federal Investigators about Kerik and Rudy could be said to have suborned perjury.
Toby Wollin @ 17
Toby, Suzanne keeps putting the same quarter in teh jar (that’s why it’s on a string). On the other hand, someone’s got to feed the kitty (and if you stayed long enough last night, THAT is an ominous thought!). I thought I’d send some fund$ in myself today, in tribute to last night’s swearfest!
Please let there be tapes.
Further:
Judith Regan lives to fight. She loves a good fight. It turns her on in all respects. I worked at HarperCollins at some point in my life. She kept Rupert in tow. And he respected her for it. Until If I did It became the last straw…
She was feared and loathed by other HarperCollins editors, who felt (rightly) that she got away with murder.
She and Kerik worked out at the same gym in Manhattan, and there are tales of their physical imbroglios onsite.
Biodun @ 25
This whole dustup is essentially an IPO, ‘eh?
Jeepers, Wally, who needs a Royal Family when we have this bunch of dysfunctional presidential candidates?
Huffpo sez…
Ghostman @ 13
Ghostman, this is OT, but I thought you were treated rather shabbily by Josh Hoyt the other day. Your question was reasonable, his reaction was not.
I appreciated your very reasonable rejoinder and understood why you ‘departed’.
Just wanted to let you know that someone saw what happened.
OT..Ruh Roh…..
Right out of the gate this morning, Waxman has dropped the bombshell that Krongard’s brother Buzzy–the former No. 3 at CIA–sits on the board of Blackwater, State’s most controversial contractor.
TPM
If it could be proved that NewsCorp advised Regan to lie under oath, that would be grounds to strip them of their FCC liscense.
Biodun @ 25
I might become a big fan if she brings down Rude-y.
Alice @ 31
Dream on.
Alvord @ 24
I dunno
we could all die of schadenfreud overdose.
Alice @ 31
Can we have it for WFDL?
BobbyG @ 26:
Exactly. She’ll give NewsCorp a run for their money. You’ll see. And I suspect NewsCorp (and Fox) can’t afford to let this one get to court. The court scene will play out in 2008.
Remember: Roger Ailes, Faux News chief, was Giuliani’s campaign manager in another life. They’ve known each other for twenty years.
Re: tapes:
If Judith says she has tapes, she has tapes. She doesn’t bluff. She’s one piece of work, I tell you. There’s no other woman like her. And I’m definitely not kidding.
Juicy stories about her are robust in the publishing industry. She moved to LA to get into the film and television industry when she was derailed. But don’t count her out for a comeback. She’ll probably set up a venture with money from the settlement.
eCAHNomics @ 33
hey, the Berlin Wall fell didn’t it?
Nit Pick “— through yonder window — “.
A’57 — It’s a reference, not a direct quote. But thanks…
You beat me to it S-AR! There’s real light breaking, all right. What an era, when you have toxic Love Canal providing soap operatic glee, meanwhile, a ‘quiet’ brutal facist takeover keeps…taking over.
How interesting every media outlet in the country has a story on Regan’s allegations, except the WSJ, newly-owned by Rupert Murdoch.
So I’ll restate my Q, for those who know the players: What are the chances of an out-of-court settlement, soon? Would save all Regan’s infor from becoming public.
Steve-AR @ 30
What is it with these guys and the cutesy nicknames? Do they all wear decoder rings and PF Flyers?
do-si-do @ 43
They’re gangster nicknames.
puppethead @ 41
But the WSJ does have a big assed whine-and-cheeze piece about ‘irrational Bu’ush hatred.”
eCAHNomics @ 42
I suspect there will be a settlement. She wouldn’t have made this move if she wasn’t going to win–if she didn’t know that she was going to win. Mostly, she plays to win. Remember, she was winning the bit with If I did It with Murdoch–until the public outcry. She was blindsided by that one.
Korngard had no idea his bro was BW, but promises to recuse himself if any conflict comes up…really, he promises..
Laura Doty @ 23
I will do that, but I really did think that perhaps that is one of the ways that we support the site – paying for the privilege, so to speak.*g*
Biodun @ 46
That would be my outsider’s guess. What do Ailes & Rudy need this for a paltry $100 million, or whatever she’ll settle for.
egregious @ 35
we’d have to fight with the West Coasters who would want it for KFDL
moondancer @ 47
he had know idea who his brother was
punaise @ 51
It is a wise child who knows his
fatherbrother.Further:
Judith’s ReganBooks made tons and tons of money for NewsCorp, and Rupert knows that more than anyone…
punaise @ 51
He also had no idea where his brother was/is…today…which is, at a meeting with Blackwater, the Committee confirming he was checked in at the hotel..that was pretty funny..then he says, well maybe he’s there to tell them he’s not joining them…Heh.
Tithonia @ 44
It’s the Baltimore/lacrosse/Princeton/private investment banking world. They might as well wear uniforms. They all have nicknames and “support” each other. Would love to know who, if any, of this crowd had put options on the airlines pre 9/11. Maybe that’s why we were never told who had them?
Laura Doty @ 52
“he’s not HumVee, he’s my brother”
Someone on teevee was questioning her “relationship” with Rudy too…Heh.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 39
Even so it jarred.
However, your instinct was faultless. We live in Shakespearean times.
dakine01 @ 22
And I would think that I would have the responsibility to bring such “pressure” to light when interviewed by the investigators. So there should be some documentation at the time of her interview that says she was being pressured.
And all of that would have been PRIOR TO her being fired.
Does she have that record? If she didn’t mention it at the time she may not have much credibility with the courts ifMurdoch’s lawyers point it out. “I was honest, but not about Mediacorp Executives telling me to lie.”
And if she did make the statement to investigators, why isn’t it mentioned in her suit? Why isn’t she insisting that the Executive be prosecuted for attempted “witness” tampering?
I really hope a lot of gas gets thrown on this fire. So far the MSM has been trying to suffocate this…the top of the news on cnn is oj and nancy grace…and the NYTimes is sort of covering this.
Olbermann and Abrams did time on this last night. Tweety said nothing and I suspect he will remain mute…
One can only hope enough info will leak before a ’settlement’
Punaise @ 56:
Tanks for the laugh!
Jane (nyc) @ 55
I think I can answer that sort of…one of the Krongards was CEO of Marsh and McLennan, who was somehow involved with the puts prior to 9/11, and were located inside the WTC, or so rumor has it.
A57 — well, I meant it to jar…so it’s good that it worked. *g* Regan is, as Biodun says, a piece of work — no less so than Murdoch, though. And they built their empire on half-assery, so I thought that a slightly off reference was appropriate, under the circumstances. Couldn’t bear to do the full Shakespeare for this crew…
Tithonia @ 44
Is Rove “The Hummer”?
A’57 @ 58
Yup! Comedies and Tragedies and lotsa Farces!
David W. Bartoo @ 29
I do appreciate your thoughts. Thank you. At the same time, that was “yesterday”. It’s behind me, and we all move forward into “today”.
If you ever find yourself in Dallas, and thirsty for a nice Jameson Irish Whiskey….just whistle up a Ghost! Take care.
Ghostman
A few juicy tidbits from the Gray Lady in 2004:
Laura Doty @ 61
“to sleep, Pershing to dream…”
LS @ 62
Actually, Buzzy Krongard was formerly head of Alex. Brown, a private investment bank in Baltimore that was bought out by Bankers Trust. He was #3 at the CIA when 9/11 happened.
punaise @ 51
His brother was covert…he just assumed the identity as his brother was a cover.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 63
You subtle devil.
Jane (nyc) @ 69
I stand corrected. He’s connected by rumor in there somewhere though..
Further to my 67:
Talk about (sexual) love and death. The bedroom facing the pit of Ground Zero I mean.
Biodun @ 73
A pit and a pendulum.
(It’s a po pun, but I think Horror as a genre should also be represented in this parlous times!)
From wiki:
Off topic. But perfect for FDL.
Maybe one of you wants to check out the NY Times article today on the bridge ladies who are being branded as traitors for holding up a hand-written sign at an awards banquet in Shanghai that read: We did not vote for bush.
See my blog post at tpm cafe or read the whole article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/14/arts/14brid.html
I think this whole issue is right up your alley!
Judith’s “remarkable” career as an editor and publisher:
(Also from wiki.)
LS @ 72
You’re right about the rumors of his possible connection. Supposedly many of the most renumerative puts were made through his old firm. Seems like another example of how the rules are different for some. Also, I have wondered if he is one of the “money men” behind Blackwater? It can’t all be financed by the Prince money.
TheraP — I’ve got something coming up on it next, as a matter of fact. *g*
For a pitch perfect historical perspective captured in real time about this matter, I recommend this not work safe post. You may be offended by what you read but that’s just it, you should be offended.
CMike @ 80
Wow. Ugh.
moondancer @ 47
The claim is simply disingenuous. That fact has been known for about a year and has been in the MSM (NY Times, Salon, Rolling Stone, etc.). In addition, Cofer Black is Blackwaters #2. So not only is Blackwater ramping up to be a paramilitary force, it’s being run by a bunch of spies.
I think that they should ask to see “Cookie” Krongard’s emails and see if he has communicated with his brother over the last year and what they discussed. Bet he backs off very quickly from that!
I feel much better now:
WASHINGTON — President Bush welcomed Michael Mukasey back into government today and promised to help the new attorney general rebuild the top leadership of the beleaguered Justice Department.
link
From the NYTimes link in Christy’s post:
My bold. You can bet she has tapes if she called the company lawyer. Christy said she’s pulling a twofer. I think it’s actually a trifecta: Giuliani, Kerik, and Rupert: the three men she loves to hate at the moment. My advice to these men: Please run for cover.
(You call all tell from my posts that I’m quite a fan of Judith’s…*g*)
Steve-AR @ 83
And W announced that Mukasey is part of his National Security team…ya know what that means…
Watching the “oath” taking…I noticed that Roberts put a very strong emphasis on “Constitution”…interesting.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 79
Wonderful News!
Feel free to steal any of my ideas, if you like them!
‘We all know the answer, coming after a noun and a verb…But what is the question?’
;>)
Steve-AR @ 83
And Mukasey is gonna re-open the “investigation” into warrantless taps.
Dana Peroxide: “We cannot comment on an ongoing investigation…”
Which, of course, will take a LONG time to complete.
Toby Wollin @ 48
I rarely am up for much of Late Night, but someone last night did suggest putting a few quarters in the tip jar at the top right of the page along with the quarters in Suz’s swear jar.
I think that the fact that Regan was fired over that whole “If I Did It” OJ Simpson brouhaha needs to be taken into account here… Did she agree to News Corps demands for the last 3 years because she was courting OJ for a book deal (or even shepherding him along)? There are many more questions to be asked regarding her motivations given those details and very little mention has been made about that whole fiasco.
Rich W at 90 — We did a LOT of posting about that fiasco when it was unfolding. Taylor had a few guests posts for us on it, and I know both Jane and I talked about it as well. If you clikc through on some of the links in the above post, they also discuss the mess that was the Judith and Rupert show, the odious OJ book, and all sorts of other bits and pieces.
msmolly @89
That was Suz herself, and a fine idea it is!
BobbyG @ 88
Jeez, the whole Bush “presidency” is an ongoing investigation…
I’m betting this will be handled via hush money in order of about 10 times, whatever Bill-O paid out in the falafel incident.
Biodun @ 84
do-si-do @ 93
(edited for clarity).
TheraP @ 76
From the NYT Article..(fascism by any other name)
Three players— Hansa Narasimhan, JoAnna Stansby and Jill Meyers — have expressed regret that the action offended some people. The federation has proposed a settlement to Ms. Greenberg and the three other players, Jill Levin, Irina Levitina and Ms. Rosenberg, who have not made any mollifying statements.
It calls for a one-year suspension from federation events, including the World Bridge Olympiad next year in Beijing; a one-year probation after that suspension; 200 hours of community service “that furthers the interests of organized bridge”; and an apology drafted by the federation’s lawyer.
NYT
BTW these women are pros, they make their living playing Bridge..They are being “thrown out of work” for free speech.
Brian Williams and a follow up
don’t hold your breath
I’m still waiting for Tim Brokaw to do his follow up interview with Schwarzenegger
hit_escape @ 94
“hates to lose” — money.
Whatever else about him, the dude can certainly count.
My Shakespearean retort to chs’ title:
You are as a candle, the better burnt out.
Henry IV
And you can also Keith and Dan Abrams (especially Dan) will be all over this one except for breaking news. If this gets to court, you can count on a soap opera in 2008. Nothing gets America going like love, sex, money, politics, and their volatile libidinal admixture.
What is it with women called Judith in NY. Did they all take yucky pills at some point?
@ 101:
I meant you can bet Keith and Dan…
darkblack @ 87
Lol! He’s a one trick pony all right. Looks like one too.
Steve-AR @ 97
Further:
Nice to see old-style Soviet police work alive and well in the international bridge community.
nomolos @ 102
They have no taste in men.
Of course Rudy Kazooti’s response to this story is “No Comment so I wouldn’t expect da Fox to have any meaningful intervies.
Questions I’d like to see answered:
Did La Regan who cuckolded Kerik’s pregnant wife in a pied e teir for sex overlooking the 911 site actually talk ot FBI agents vetting Kerik and commit an 18USC 10001 false statement violation?
If as Regan alleges in her suit she has “evidence” that News corp. executives urged her to commit the 19USC violation and she stupidly did, is it strong enough to implicate either Murdock’s News Corp. execs or Roger the Ailes’ people at Da Fox in an 18 USC 1001 false statement violation?
Trivia Question: Which former district attorney and judge in New York who is now a Fox News personallity managed to have sex with two federally indicted people (one convicted and one about to be convicted) while married to someone else? She is also a failed candidate for State Attorney General, U.S. Senator, and NY Lt. Governor.
She is a charter member of the “DA/Judges can have it all including affairs with federal convicts” club.
Answer: The lovely and talented mega-liar one Jeanine Pirro who was married to her husband Albert who was convicted of tax evasion and conspiracy and also had an affair with Bernie Kerik.
Pirro alleged and the DOJ stupidly believed that she had no knowledge of her husband’s criminal financial activity depsite the fact that even the dullest DA learns to build a high percentage of cases using paper trails and money laundering. It is the height of disingenuous thinking to believe that Pirro was enjoying perks and material trappings that she knew her salary and her husband’s could not support and was obvlivious to his tax and financial reporting.
Guilliani and Kerick’s failed to unite police, fire, and EMS radio communications and their failure to relocate their Emergency Management HQ resulted in hundreds of deaths from firemen at WTC and other personnel.
I wouldn’t expect Fox to inteview their on air personality Pirro or Rudy 911 on any of this. I expect them to tiptoe around any involvement of Roger or other Fox executives in any alleged coverup of the affair when Kerik was “vetted” by the Bushies.
nomolos @ 102
You got it: Judith Miller; Judith Regan; Judith Giuliani. Quite a crew, yes? And all linked to Repug nasty politics.
Steve @ 97. I would love to see these women have a forum soon at FDL. They need support!
msmolly @ 106
whores d’oeuvre?
TheraP @ 109
I would too..This kind of shit is just another Canary in the mine; another example of how the “police state” mentality is rotting our social structure. (Not that any more Canaries are needed to demonstrate the poison)
nomolos @ 110
That’s much cleverer than the retort I was thinking of.
Steve-AR @ 111
Steve, I shake your hand across the miles! (to the spies, yes, I’m with Steve!)
At least there’s still a “free speech zone” on the internet. For how much longer?
neokneme @ 104
Noun, one, one…Oopsie, forgot the verb.
;>)
Steve-AR @ 111
VERY true! And I hope everyone’s polishing off the book and puttin’ their bells on for Sunday’s Book Salon!
nomolos @ 102
The current Ms. Ghouliani was known as “Judy” to everyone before she became his princess. “Judy” probably went over better on the cocktail circuit where she made her contacts for her pharmaceutical career.
She certainly has been off the radar lately. Maybe the campaign is worried about the largely ignored “staple” stories getting more play.
TheraP @ 113
The Suits and the Deputy Director of National Intelligence are workin’ on that.
I’m starting to seccumb to one of those moments of false hopefullness that this time the country will really see the Rs for what they are. Will someone please stop me from running again at the football before it gets snatched away. Will someone please help me get back my cynic quotient?
darkblack @ 114
Rude_E gets a hearty hand-clasp! ROFL!
Jane (nyc) @ 116
I’d like to take a look at his cell phone records. Guess she stopped calling him while he was making speeches, though.
eCAHNomics @ 118
diebold and depraved
Addendum to 108:
The three Judiths: all linked to Repug nasty (and sexual) politics.
Miss Staples the dog torturer and killer?
IIRC she was a Rep for American Surgical not a Pharm Co.
eCAHNomics @ 118
Markit Buying Owners of iTraxx, CDX Credit Indexes
Syrup with those pancakes?
eCAHNomics @ 112
I’m always thinking of a great retort HOURS after I need it.
eCAHNomics @ 118
“The miserable have no other medicine but only hope”.
Measure for Measure
eCAHNomics @120
Good call on the cell records. If he’s faithful to her, it’ll be a first.
eCAHNomics @ 118
Think of impeachment
;>)
Steve-AR @ 123
Worked for Big Pharma after coming to NYC. Met Rudy while trolling for doctor business — at a cigar club. (That was not the original version of the story of their meeting.)
What’s the bridge term for Lurking to pounce on the zed?
do-si-do @ 130
Yo feel a new post coming up as well? *g*
I see now that this has been mentioned somewhat… I have a tendency to read blog posts without clicking links… apologies
Christy Hardin Smith @ 91
do-si-do @ 130
Vulturing? ;-)
And you could not possibly expect a DOJ which has imbecilic, arrogant 34 year old Bible rapping Rachel Paulose (next to no litigation experience–par for the DOJ course these days when making principle appointments at EOUSA or the US Attorney levels) as a US Attorney who has wrecked the District of Minnesota office to have honestly investigated Jeanine Pirro’s alleged wiretapping of her husband Al with Bernie Kerick–an episode whose tape transcripts between La Pirro and La Kerick included this from the then Westchester County District Attorney:
“What am I supposed to do, Bernie? Watch him f- – - her every night?” Pirro is quoted as saying on the transcripts, obtained by WNBC-TV. “What am I supposed to do? . . . I can go on the boat, I’ll put the f- – -ing thing on myself
Jeanine Pirro and Bernie Kerick do know something about f—–g people while married to other people. That much is clear.
The conversations between Pirro and Kerik came to light as federal investigators tapped the former NYPD commissioner’s phone during an unrelated investigation, according to sources
In one conversation, Pirro complained to Kerik, who heads a private security firm, that one of his workers was reluctant to board Al Pirro’s boat.
Kerik said: “But Jeanine, I’m having the same f- – -ing problem with everybody. Everybody is panic-stricken because it’s you. I’ve gone out on a limb. I’ve had two other people looking at this. It’s a problem.”
Soon after, according to the transcript, Kerik asked a contact at Rudy Giuliani’s consulting firm to find him a recording device, WNBC/Channel 4 reported. A Giuliani spokeswoman had no comment.
Jeanine and Kerick should both be in a BOP cube–too bad only one of them is headed there currently.
Pirro’s wiretaping allegations and her co-conspiracy and tax evasion with her husband were not adequately investigated by the feckless Bush DOJ.
darkblack @ 128
*blink*
*blink*blink*blink*
Aaaaagggghhhh ;-)
Biodun @ 108
“The course of true love never did run smooth”.
Midsummer Night’s Dream
I’m just running with the Bard today!
Oh shoot, I wish I had attached the “love running smooth” quote to #134 instead!!! wow! Better than sex in the city, dynasty, and sopranos!
Biodun @ 131
Some of us are *supposed* to be working!
I haven’t read all the posts, but I hope somebody has mentioned that these people are so stupid they think there is honor among thieves. I can hear ‘em now “wait…wait…I’m on YOUR side…” as the evil bosses cut their throats.
Delicious!
Even if Murdock tries to settle this in order to bury the tapes and Regan’s information, won’t the Justice Department be interested in it all, in light of the fact that they just INDICTED Kerik?
She may find that these items are no longer her personal property pretty soon, and that the Feds will have a pretty compelling interest in them.
FYI, new post upstairs
maxcat06 at 140 — It’s the gift that keeps on giving, isn’t it? And yes, I’d say someone very soon will have a few questions for several of the parties involved…if they haven’t been asked already, including the possibility of an attempt to obstruct justice series of questions for some “senior executive as yet to be named.”
Christy Hardin Smith @ 142
We would hope someone would, and of course conveniently in his brief, Regan’s lawyer omits whether Regan actually lied to F.B.I. vetting Kerik, or what the alleged “evidence” is of Senior Exec. participation at News Corp. or Fox. In the home stretch of the 2008 run for the Roses Garden though, I have no confidence in Moooookasey Justice to follow though on this.
As Christy pointed out, this is not one lawsuit that has a high prospect of early or any settlement and the unfolding of the alleged evidence and the potential to involve Rudy 911 Ghuliani, News Corp. or Fox & Roger Ailes as well as provide a backdrop to his campaign should he win the primary, will be interesting.
Killer piece, Christy!
And SteveAR @#30:
Dude! That IS a bombshell. Let’s load THAT little willy-peter projectile into the Howitzer and see how it flies. :o)
A’57 @ 58
au contraire, if i may ……
the old chinese curse, “may you live in interesting times.”
the leet update:
“may you live in a time when life imitates Harold Robbins.”
I think this is fantastic, and the timing is perfect. The lurid details of Kerik and Judith Regan’s adulterous affair-in a room designed for rescue workers-is gonna hurt Rudy big time.
Couldn’t happen to a lousier group of con artists.
My God! The tendrils…
Rudy; Kerik; Judith; Harper/Collins; Rupert…
Reaching; twining; commingling….asking; DEMANDING; to be tied together.
Grow; little vines, Grow… :o)
If you knew Judy, like I know Judy…
There’s nothing here but noise. There’s nothing on the tapes except sexual innuendo she steered the conversation toward.
There’s no false testimony to federal officials, coerced or voluntary.
There’s no NewsCorp connection to Rudy, anymore than there is one to any other candidate.
All she wants is notoriety and to slime as many other people as she can.
There’s no there there.
She portrayed herself as a money-making machine, but all she was ever able to do was celebrity books and diet books that succeeded on packaging and her ability to bully HarperCollins into giving her books more than their share of co-op dollars.
Every piece of fiction she published flopped–with the exception of Wicked.
Jeff @ 148
There’s no there there yet. You also haven’t heard the alledged tapes that La Regan says she has. But a more thorough investigation might uncover some ‘there’ regardless of anyone’s evaluation of the carnival freak type books that Regan often promoted, not to mention the Right Wing authors like the drug addict Rush.
We never had the benefit of the “fictional biography” (whatever that is) of Mickey Mantle (a real and not fictional ball player) on my real not fictional 1954 autographed SI cover.
Will Rudy be tied to the mob or any illegality by Regan’s lawsuit or Kerik’s looming trial? Most probably not other than his sucking up to the Sopranos staff for advanced tapes and that he knew the Kerik Regan relationship was a problem when he pushed him for Secretary of DHS.
Will Kerik be tied to the mob? Could be. Will Roger Roger Aisles be impacted by this law suit if the evidence is real, considering that counts in the Kerik indictment which is “there” stem from activity with Judith Regan?
Ghouliani and the rest of the Republicans still favor cronyism over competence. Look at the US attorneys now with no significant experience all over the U.S.
It would be a close contest though as to who would have flown DHS into the ground more-former Heckuva Job former3rd Circuit Judge Chertoff or Bernie Kerik. I say it’s a toss up. They both would have screwed it up equally. We have over well 100,000 on the no fly list, and probably close to 100% should not be on it and both the FBI and CIA couldn’t even vet Nada Nadim, and if she really was a Hamas or Hezbollah mole and the DOJ and CIA know, you never will.
C.I.A. Officer Admits Guilt Over Hezbollah Files
Look at the pudding heads who shaped up the Iraq fiasco and the money hemorrhage now pegged at hundreds of billions with no sign of the Caveocrats putting the breaks on any of it.
In Iowa right now:
27% Romney
21% Huckaby
15-11% Ghouliani
McCain Way Down Less
The rest are dead men walking in every state.
Bernie’ Kerik’s Indictment–When Bush says Nanny He Means Mob
You know what I thought was interesting? Unless I missed it, nowhere did Regan specify that the executive was a he.
Regan’s pretty famous for telling all about her sex life to women she works with, and she used to socialize with Murdoch (supposedly he ceased to be amused by her when he heard the Kerik story).
It would certainly change the power dynamic significantly if the un-named executive “close to Murdoch” was the current Mrs. Murdoch, don’t you think?
I think it has more chance to be Roger Aisles or someone who works with him, or several someones at News or Fox or both, rather than Wendy Deng Age 39 (Mrs. Rupert Murdoch)–Rupert Age 76 although it would be interesting.