WHEN titian-haired publishing titan Judith Regan took up with former top cop Bernard Kerik, she thought she’d met her match. And vice versa.

But the illicit relationship came tumbling down, a friend of Regan’s told me, not when she discovered her married lover had another mistress. It ended horribly after Regan learned Kerik’s wife was pregnant.

After that jolting discovery, Regan,as volatile, driven and foul-mouthed as any man, began using other words to describe her lover. … The yearlong affair, which began as Regan prepared to publish Kerik’s memoir, was an open secret in town.

Atrios has some memories of Judith. Here's the late Steve Gilliard with more. And here are the details of how Bernie sent New York Homicide cops to the homes of five Fox News makeup artists when Regan claimed her cell phone was missing:

Fahey sent the Manhattan South homicide task force on overtime to roust five Fox television makeup artists at their homes in the middle of the night after Regan fingered them. The five have now filed a notice of claim, i.e. future lawsuit, against Kerik and the city.

TPM reports:

The items Regan said were stolen were later discovered with no indications of theft -- jewelry was later found at the bottom of Regan's handbag, a credit card was later found to have been left behind at a pharmacy, and the missing phone was later found in a garbage can in a TV studio where Regan had been.

It sounds like Judith Regan has tapes. And I'd bet she's willing to use them. While the defendant is News Corp rather than Fox News, her anger seems directed at Rupert Murdoch, who personally gave the order to fire her.

Here's Rudy's press release on Bernie in 2001 when he named the Manhattan Detention Complex after him -- well after members of his staff knew about Bernie's alleged ties to Interstate and Larry Ray:

"I am proud to have had Bernard Kerik serve in my Administration, and delighted that the renaming of this complex will serve as a lasting reminder of his many important achievements."

Here's Rudy at Bernie's retirement dinner (Newsday (New York) April 22, 2002, available on Lexis.com)

Friday at his retirement dinner at the Sheraton, the night was his[Kerik's]. His publisher Judith Regan purchased a table and produced a film presentation of him. Rudolph Giuliani praised Kerik's conduct on Sept. 11 and said that rather than his being a lost son, "He was the brother I never had."

The more details that come out about Bernie, Bernie and Judith, Bernie and Larry Ray and Bernie and Interstate, one can only hope the media will stop letting Rudy Giuliani off the hook for his dismal character judgment and obstinate loyalty to his friends. As I wrote here:

He ignored too many red flags about Kerik. Perhaps it's a case of willful blindness, of being the ostrich burying his head in the sand. Perhaps it's classic arrogance. Perhaps Rudy is just a bad judge of character.

Either way, Rudy put personal loyalty to Kerik above the good of the nation in recommending Kerik to Bush for the Homeland Security job. Rudy doesn't deserve another chance. He doesn't get to say "trust me." There's no do-over on this one.

All of TalkLeft's Bernie Kerik coverage is accessible here.