Michael Caruso

Michael Caruso, a longtime pal of Bernie Kerik and a former employee of the city's Department of Investigation, has filed suit against the city and the highest-ranking staffers of DOI.

Caruso was at Walker's restaurant in 1999 when Kerik and Ray Casey, the waste commissioner, had a conversation that was a subject of the Kerik grand jury investigation. In that conversation, according to reports of the grand jury testimony, Kerik recommended his wedding party's best man, Larry Ray, for work with Casey.

Caruso was summoned to testify before the grand jury regarding that meeting.

The complaint alleges that Walter Arsenault told Caruso before testifying that "Remember Kerik vouched for Larry Ray at the Walkers' meeting and everything will be O.K." (Arsenault was appearing as an assistant D.A. at the Bronx grand jury and is also the First Deputy Commissioner of the DOI.)

The complaint says Caruso had already told Arsenault the day previous that he "could not truthfully testify" to that; he did not.

Three days later, Caruso was terminated from the DOI. His complaint alleges his removal was in "retaliation" for providing "truthful grand jury testimony" and "because of the relationship between Plaintiff and Kerik."

A month prior to his termination, the complaint claims, Caruso's boss wrote to him that he'd be named Inspector General of the Sanitation Department and given a raise—and be given a larger office.

The six counts include wrongful discharge and defamation, and a demand for jury trial. No filed response to the complaint was available in the U.S. District Court. Caruso's lawyer did not immediately return a call to his office.

—Choire Sicha with Theodore Bressman

Jann Wenner's editor-less Men's Journal has just lost its publisher too. Carlos Lamadrid, who had overseen a 124-page jump in ad pages this year at Wenner's adventure lifestyle monthly, has ankled Wenner for Jane, where he will be vice president and publisher. The move follows the departure earlier this month of editor in chief Michael Caruso, deputy editor Peter Frank and Wenner Books honcho Bob Wallace.

"I think Jane needs a new infusion of energy and a smart marketing and advertising plan," Lamadrid said by phone today. "I sort of pride myself on being a turnaround specialist, and Jane is a great opportunity."  read more »

Lamadrid's last day at Men's Journal will be Friday, and he starts at Jane on Monday.

-Gabriel Sherman

For the second time this month, Jann Wenner has lost a high-profile editor. On the heels of Michael Caruso's sudden departure from Men's Journal, Bob Wallace, the editor in chief of Wenner Books, left the company last week. According to Wenner insiders, Wallace and Wenner had clashed over the limited marketing and promotion resources being put into the two-year-old imprint.

Wallace had headed Wenner Books since 2003, when it was founded as on outlit for publishing titles inspired by Wenner magazines. Among Wallace's offerings are the poker title Aces and Kings, the romance chronicle Brad and Jen: The Rise and Fall of Hollywood's Golden Couple, and Bling Bling: Hip-Hop's Crown Jewels. Wallace could not be reached for comment; his Wenner phone extension was disconnected. A Wenner spokesperson said: "Wenner books is alive and well with a full catalogue for 2006 including titles from Us Weekly, Rolling Stone, and Men's Journal. Bob Wallace, who has had a long, esteemed career with Wenner Media, left his position on Friday and will pursue other opportunities. The departure was amicable."  read more »

--Gabriel Sherman

Perhaps taking a cue from rocker Lenny Kravitz-who recently slashed $1 million off the asking price  read more »

Currently, no United States troops have been massed on the border of Kuwait and Iran.  read more »

Memo to Mark Golin: Always remember, never ask your new boss, Condé Nast chairman S.I.  read more »