News Corp. (NWS) Settles With Ex-Publisher Judith Regan

News Corp. has settled a lawsuit with Judith Regan, the high-profile publisher who ran a unit of the company's HarperCollins unit until News Corp. fired her in December 2006.

Regan, was once one of News Corp.'s most recognizable stars, notable for publishing books by the likes of Howard Stern. But her plans to publish an O.J. Simpson book, which News Corp. squashed in the fall of 2006, ultimately did her in. The company canned her shortly after the Simpson controversy, after accusing her of making anti-Semitic remaks.

Last fall she sued her former employer while making some eye-popping charges -- chiefly, that News Corp. had pressured her to lie to federal investigators in order to protect Rudy Giuliani.  That's all over with now, according to the NWS release:

Judith Regan and News Corporation announced today that they have settled her lawsuit arising from the termination of Ms. Regan’s employment in December of 2006.  The parties are pleased that they have reached an equitable, confidential settlement, with no admission of liability by any party.  

News Corp. said, “After carefully considering the matter, we accept Ms. Regan’s position that she did not say anything that was anti-Semitic in nature, and further believe that Ms. Regan is not anti-Semitic.”

News Corp. also said, “Ms. Regan is a talented publisher who created many award-winning and bestselling books during her twelve and a half years at the company.  News Corp. thanks Ms. Regan for her outstanding contributions and wishes her continued success.”

Ms. Regan said, “I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with so many gifted people and am looking forward to my next venture."

Update: A Gawker source says Judith's getting a $25 million payout, which sounds awfully high to us. Anyone want to make another guess? Note in comments or via email to pkafka at alleyinsider dot com.