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Fox News Head Advised Lying to Feds: Court Docs

Roger Ailes apparently sought to protect Giuliani White House bid

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 24, 2011 1:00 PM CST

(Newser) – Five years ago, fired HarperCollins boss Judith Regan claimed an executive at Harper’s parent, News Corp, had pushed her to lie to federal investigators—but until now, that executive’s identity remained hidden. Now court affidavits show that it was Roger Ailes, the head of Fox News, the New York Times finds. According to Regan, Ailes wanted her to hush up her affair with Bernard Kerik—former NYPD chief and pal of Rudy Giuliani— because it might hurt Giuliani's presidential aspirations.

Affidavits also reveal that Regan taped a phone conversation with Ailes about the matter, which could prove embarrassing for him if it surfaces. While News Corp doesn’t deny that Ailes is on the tape, the company says it has a letter, penned by Regan, “stating that Mr. Ailes did not intend to influence her with respect to a government investigation.” The documents came to light as part of a separate lawsuit lodged against Regan by her former lawyers. Click for background on Regan's now-settled suit against News Corp.

In this July 24, 2006 file photo, Roger Ailes, chairman and chief executive officer of Fox News, speaks during the Summer Television Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, FILE)

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Fox News Head Advised Lying to Feds: Court Docs

Roger Ailes apparently sought to protect Giuliani White House bid

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