Newsweek: Judith Regan's Mysterious Tape Has News Corp. Considering Settlement

Newsweek   |  Johnnie L. Roberts   |   December 21, 2007 05:44 PM


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With its tawdry plot lines involving corporate skullduggery, a steamy extramarital affair and presidential politics, the legal battle between former publishing doyenne Judith Regan and her ex-employer, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., seems straight out of a potboiler. Now the tale has taken another intriguing and potentially explosive twist with the sudden emergence of a mysterious tape recording.

Long a controversial figure in the publishing industry, Regan had run her own imprint at News Corp.'s book publishing arm, HarperCollins, for 13 years before she was fired for allegedly making anti-Semitic remarks not long after controversy erupted over O. J. Simpson's book, "If I Did It." Regan had spearheaded the book, which she billed as a confession to the double murder by the disgraced gridiron star. In November, Regan filed a $100 million lawsuit against News Corp., accusing the company of, among other things, making her a scapegoat in the Simpson controversy, targeting her with a "deliberate smear campaign" and illegally firing her.

But what seemed like a parochial flap within the publishing industry over O. J. Simpson veered off in a sharply different direction with the lawsuit. The latest bombshell: according to media executives familiar with the situation, Regan has a tape recording that presumably helps to buttress her allegations in her suit. The exact contents of the tape remain unknown, as does its origins. No one approached by NEWSWEEK seemed to know of its provenance--or was willing to discuss it.

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- geobushono See Profile I'm a Fan of geobushono permalink

...this is why we have EBAY....c'mon DLC make a bid.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:49 AM on 12/23/2007
- larry278 See Profile I'm a Fan of larry278 permalink

This may not destroy News Corp but Mr Murdoch has even more egg covering his face. It may also slow Mr Murdoch's plan to destroy the NYT & NYT's reputation as a newspaper of record. Neither WSJ nor NY POST "Page 6" is aiding Mr Murdoch now. Judy Miller appears to be nothing but bad news for Murdoch & Sulzburger right now.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:54 PM on 12/22/2007
- MIKEBC See Profile I'm a Fan of MIKEBC permalink

SHE LOOKS GOOD WITH THAT LONG HAIR, (NO POINTED SIDEBURNS)

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:48 PM on 12/22/2007
- robbor See Profile I'm a Fan of robbor permalink

Ooooooooeeeeeeeeee, i bet judith has needles for teeth

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:32 PM on 12/22/2007
- kellygrrrl See Profile I'm a Fan of kellygrrrl permalink

Gag Order - priceless

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:03 PM on 12/22/2007
- 1man1voicenovote See Profile I'm a Fan of 1man1voicenovote permalink

Debra Jean Palfry has a list of dirty politicians, too.

It is the number one censored news story of the YEAR.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:24 AM on 12/22/2007
- speakingtruth2power See Profile I'm a Fan of speakingtruth2power permalink

No shit they are going to settle and that means they will be able to
destroy the tapes, something the fascists love to do with evidence.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:13 PM on 12/21/2007
- cartach See Profile I'm a Fan of cartach permalink

This is a story about a tape. A tape that supposedly exists but nobody knows for sure. And if it does exist nobody knows for sure if there is something on it or if it's a blank tape. And if there is something on it, nobody has any idea what that could be. But all that does'nt matter anyway because, blank or not, it's a mysterious tape and no matter what,in the final analysis it's a great news story and deserves to be told. Do people really get paid money to write articles like this? If so I'm more and more confused. I better open up that bottle I was saving for Christmas,get really pissed, and maybe I'll be able to figure it all out.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:43 PM on 12/21/2007
- SpindrainDotCom See Profile I'm a Fan of SpindrainDotCom permalink

When is this skanky broad going to release all her so-called dirt on all these guys?

She repeatedly says she has proof to back up her accusations, but we never see it.
Give it up! Give up the dirt!

We want to see it. ;)

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:48 PM on 12/21/2007
- ibsteve2u See Profile I'm a Fan of ibsteve2u permalink

Note to Warren Buffett: Outbid Murdoch for this "mystery tape". Making it public would probably provide a grand lesson in "core values" and "business ethics".

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:24 PM on 12/21/2007
- wedgie See Profile I'm a Fan of wedgie permalink

This whole article had me so exhausted by page two, all I could do is weakly reach for the HuffPo front page link and hope for something lighter. Like Russian Nuclear fuel shipments to Iraq...

God, this is all so ugly, sordid and, since we are in America and there are no bidets, stinky....

I can only begin to picture the bad sex all around and wince...turning away from the image.

**

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:31 PM on 12/21/2007
- loki See Profile I'm a Fan of loki permalink

And I just remembered, not long ago some kid recorded a police officer pulling him over, and the police officer was the one performing the illegal actions. I think the police raised hell, but the officer was caught and there wasnt anything they could do about it.

Pretty soon you will have to record all of your interactions with people because of the abuse of power and the all the lies that are considered "ok" or "good business practices" . And yes, even at work, because that is where many illegal actions take place everyday. From labor laws to sexual abuse, I bet every business has it somewhere. And just because everyone does it, doesnt make it legal or morally correct to do.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:00 PM on 12/21/2007
- MA See Profile I'm a Fan of MA permalink

Judith, really, what was the fascination with Bernie Kerik? Intelligence? Nope Good looks? Nope Witty personality? Nope...
Well I guess that leaves a big dick and you really could have done better.
Smart women, stupid choices, pathetic....

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:59 PM on 12/21/2007
- loki See Profile I'm a Fan of loki permalink

If its possibly of illegal actions, wouldnt a judge be bound by law to have it investigate by police?

Oh wait, Im thinking that we're a republic form of democracy. I keep forgetting we are more a authoritarian style government and the wealthy dont normally get investigated unless its political. My bad.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:47 PM on 12/21/2007
- reactionrynihilist See Profile I'm a Fan of reactionrynihilist permalink

Wow, seems like CYA for journalism is recording conversations with your boss too. Nobody cares to check sources or corroborate, but you better record conversations with your boss.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:17 PM on 12/21/2007
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