by Jeff Davis

Some time ago Judith Regan was fired by the Rupert Murdoch media conglomerate for allegedly making “anti-Semitic remarks” about an alleged Jewish conspiracy to “get” her. (Jews conspire? Who’d a thunk it?) Now it looks like the plot may be thickening.

The political website The Smoking Gun reports: “Judith Regan, the volcanic publishing industry figure who sought to publish O.J. Simpson’s book “I Did It,” today sued Rupert Murdoch’s media conglomerate for defamation, claiming that she was unjustly tarred as an anti-Semite when fired last year.”

Interesting that in high society and big business, apparently accusations of racism and anti-Semitism are now being used to discredit rivals and competitors and personal enemies, rather like an accusation of witchcraft in the Middle Ages.

The Smoking Gun goes on: “In a blistering $100 million lawsuit filed today in New York State Supreme Court, Regan, 54, accuses several defendants, including Murdoch’s News Corporation and HarperCollins Publishers, of orchestrating a smear campaign that was intended to advance the Murdoch political agenda and protect Rudy Giuliani’s presidential ambitions.”

The same article notes “According to Regan, Murdoch employees were aware of her personal relationship with (Bernard) Kerik and, fearing she had damaging information on Giuliani’s former police commissioner and business partner, knew they would be protecting Giuliani if they could preemptively discredit her. The Murdoch firms did this, Regan charges, by claiming she made anti-Semitic statements during a phone conversation with a HarperCollins lawyer. However, the ousted editor alleges, the offensive statements were never made-an assertion she says is backed up by a temporary secretary who listened in on the call in question.”

Oh, boy. I’d hate to be that temp, caught in the middle of an attempt to embarrass Rupert Murdoch and Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani is the neocon choice for president. He gets endless coverage on the mainstream media with most of it positive. The thought that Rudy’s close association with Kerik could torpedo his campaign is very alarming to the neocons. That temp worker better be very careful in the coming weeks. Hillary Clinton isn’t the only one who plays rough. I wonder if they’ll find the temp shot dead in a public park with a mystery .38 special, Vince Foster-style?