Rudy Giuliani isn't getting the pass he wants from the Kerik story quite yet. The New York Times Friday details the many lawsuits for damages the city of New York incurred during his watch, quite a few of which are ongoing--suits that allege Rudy or his senior aides violated the plaintiffs' constitutional rights.

In the three years since Michael R. Bloomberg succeeded Mr. Giuliani, the city has spent close to $2 million to settle lawsuits brought by residents and city workers who accused the Giuliani administration of retaliating against them for exercising free speech or other constitutional rights.

Michael Hess, Giuliani's current partner at Giuliani Partners, says the suits amount to a drop in the bucket. Pocket change, right?

I'll agree that settling a lawsuit is not an acknowledgement of the correctness or truth of the prevailing party's allegations--it's more a litigation strategy and an assessment of the risk/reward ratio of going to trial. That's not the issue.

The point I'm making is that for the Times and other papers to be publishing this stuff now shows that Rudy is no longer "the golden boy"--a position he never, ever deserved to hold in the first place. Rudy was on his last leg when September 11 came around. His divorce woes had made him a laughing stock. He was pummeled by the press every day. His prostate cancer and withdrawal from the Senate race against Hillary led many to conclude his political career was over.

The Kerik mess has dethroned Rudy. It's probably the way the Republicans want it, since they think he's liberal on social justice issues. They may even be engineering it. I won't be surprised if the media begins re-hashing the Donna Hanover stories next. That ought to be the final nail in the coffin of Rudy's political aspirations. [hat tip to Terry K.]