Rudy Giuliani, the former Mayor of New York City, has issued a response following a significant judgment imposed against him by a jury in Washington, D.C. In a defamation case filed by 2020 Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye Moss,” the jury awarded them over $148 million in damages.
Giuliani, who served as then-President Donald Trump’s private attorney, was the target of the lawsuit. CNN reported that the unanimous verdict included various damages for each of the plaintiffs, both of whom worked as election workers in Georgia in 2020. The lawsuit specifically targeted Trump and his allies, who had accused the election workers of participating in election fraud.
Moss and Freeman provided testimony detailing the extensive harassment, racist attacks, and death threats they faced after being falsely accused. The consequences of these accusations included the fear of using their real names, having to leave their homes, and resigning from their positions as election workers.
UPDATE: Giuliani and the attorneys have returned to the courtroom where we expect an update (and possibly a final decision) any moment from the jury in the civil damages lawsuit brought by Shaye Moss and Ruby Freeman.
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) December 15, 2023
After the verdict was delivered, the ex-mayor addressed the journalists and additionally, he will be responsible for covering the legal expenses of the two plaintiffs.
“Possibly will move for a new trial, certainly will appeal,” Giuliani, a former federal prosecutor, said. “The absurdity of the number merely underscores the absurdity of the entire proceeding where I’ve not been allowed to offer one single piece of evidence in defense, of which I have a lot.
“So I am quite confident when this case gets before a fair tribunal, it will be reversed so quickly. That will make your head spin. And the absurd number that just came in will help that, actually,” he added.
“Why did you think it was unfair?” one reporter asked.
“I cannot go into the details. I didn’t testify because the judge made it clear that if I made any mistake or did anything wrong, she was considering contempt,” Giuliani responded. “And this judge does have a reputation for putting people in jail. And I thought, honestly, it wouldn’t do any good.
“Do you still believe what you said about these two women in the wake of the 2020 elections?” another reporter asked.
“I have no doubt. I have no doubt that my comments were made,and they were supportable and are supportable today,” Giuliani added.
“I just did not have an opportunity to present the evidence that we offered,” he said.
“Did you notice we were not allowed to put in one piece of evidence in defense? Do you also realize that liability is not based on any trial? My ability is based on her disagreement with me on discovery, which is absurd. Get it? Because I believe the judge was threatening me with the strong possibility that I’d be held in contempt or that I’d even be put in jail,” he said.
“So it didn’t seem like it was going to do much to persuade anybody, and it could give her what she seemed to be threatening. Do you believe the women’s testimony? All right. That’s all I have to say,” he added.
“Do you have regrets about some of the comments that the women received?” a reporter then asked.
“Well, of course the comments they received, I had nothing to do with those comments, [they] are abominable. They’re deplorable,” Giuliani insisted.
Mediaite reported on Friday that there are numerous lawsuits awaiting resolution over false claims associated with the 2020 election, and one of them is a $148 million verdict against Giuliani.
Prior to this, Moss and Freeman had filed a defamation lawsuit against conspiracy theorist blogger Gateway Pundit with similar allegations, and later sued Giuliani. The complaint also implicated One America News for broadcasting the claims, and OAN has settled its portion of the complaint for an undisclosed sum, according to the outlet.