Judge will weigh holding Giuliani in contempt of court after jury’s $148 million defamation award

WASHINGTON – A federal choose is ready to listen to arguments Friday on whether or not to carry Rudy Giuliani in contempt of courtroom for persevering with to unfold lies about two Georgia election staff after they secured a $148 million defamation judgment towards him.

Plaintiffs’ attorneys have requested U.S. District Choose Beryl Howell in Washington, D.C., to impose civil contempt sanctions towards Giuliani, the previous New York Metropolis mayor who served as Donald Trump’s legal professional. They are saying Giuliani has continued to falsely accuse Wandrea “Shaye” Moss and her mom, Ruby Freeman, of committing election fraud in reference to the 2020 election.

Moss and Freeman sued Giuliani, saying he upended their lives with racist threats and harassment. A jury sided with the mom and daughter, who’re Black, in December 2023 and awarded them $75 million in punitive damages plus roughly $73 million in different damages.

“Mr. Giuliani began mendacity about Plaintiffs in December of 2020, and refused to cease after repeatedly being informed that his election-rigging conspiracy concept about Plaintiffs was baseless, malicious, and harmful,” the plaintiffs’ lawyers wrote.

Giuliani’s attorneys argued that the plaintiffs have not introduced “clear and convincing” proof that he violated a courtroom order within the defamation case in feedback that he made on November podcasts about alleged poll counting irregularities in Georgia.

“Giuliani acted with the great religion perception that his feedback didn’t violate the (judgment) and he shouldn’t be topic to contempt sanctions,” his lawyers wrote.

If Howell holds Giuliani, a Republican, in contempt of courtroom, she can be the second federal choose to take action this week. On Monday in New York, Judge Lewis Liman discovered Giuliani in contempt of courtroom for associated claims that he failed to show over proof to assist the choose determine whether or not he can maintain a Palm Seashore, Florida, condominium.

Giuliani, who testified in Liman’s Manhattan courtroom Jan. 3, mentioned he did not flip over the whole lot as a result of he believed the requests have been overly broad, inappropriate or perhaps a “lure” set by plaintiffs’ attorneys.

Giuliani, 80, mentioned in a court filing that he’ll attend Friday’s listening to earlier than Howell regardless of having travel-related considerations about his well being and security. He mentioned he will get dying threats and has been informed to watch out about touring.

“I had hoped the Courtroom would perceive and accommodate my wants. Nevertheless, it seems I used to be mistaken,” he mentioned within the submitting.

On the witness stand, Moss and Freeman described fearing for his or her lives after changing into the goal of a false conspiracy concept that Giuliani and different Republicans unfold as they tried to maintain Trump in energy after he misplaced the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden. Moss informed jurors she tried to alter her look, seldom leaves her dwelling and suffers from panic assaults.

“Cash won’t ever clear up all my issues,” Freeman informed reporters after the jury’s verdict. “I can by no means transfer again into the home that I name dwelling. I’ll at all times must watch out about the place I’m going and who I select to share my title with. I miss my dwelling. I miss my neighbors, and I miss my title.”