But, assuming that's true or even close, that tells me she had a very strong case.  The $100 mil she was suing for was both the outside limit of the envelope of her demands, and likely calculated by her side as generously favorable to her as they could stretch their facts.  So, to get a quarter of that means News Corp. recognized she had a very strong case.  

Otherwise, they would not have settled (particularly this early in the suit). If they had settled this early and if her case was weaker, the number would never have gone up to the neighborhood of $25 mil.  If her case was weaker, News might have offered her "cost of trial" - probably $1 mil or less - which would have been their way of saying "your meritless suit is going to cost us a certain amount of money to defend, and you're likely to lose.  So, let's both save ourselves the time, effort and exposure, and we'll pay you what it would have cost us anyway."  

Looks to me like Rupe and Ailes are trying to salvage Rudy Cue Ball's chances.  It's (IMHO) no coincidence the settlement came a day or less after Kerik's lawyer was DQ'd.  The Kerik trial is now effectively put off until after the election, there will be no leaks (you can bet there's a serious confidentiality agreement in place) out of the Regan matter to bite Rudy in the behind, Rudy's law firm (with the AG's son heading up the white-collar operation) has been blocking Kerik's access to witnesses and information at Giuliani Partners, and so on.

No.  I think there's a major move on to clear St. John McCain out of the way, and push Mitt* the Phony to the side.

(Wild) Prediction - Rudy's collapse in Florida will not be total;  he may win.