Georgia election workers ask federal judge to hold Rudy Giuliani in contempt
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani leaves the New York Federal Courthouse on Nov. 7. Photo: Alex Kent/Getty Images
The Georgia election workers that former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani defamed asked a federal judge Wednesday to hold him in contempt for repeating false claims about them on his podcast.
The big picture: Giuliani turned over some of his assets to the two election workers last week as part of his damages case, after missing a court-ordered deadline and facing the possibility of being held in civil contempt.
- Giuliani withheld other items and claimed in court that he's a victim of political persecution, repeating baseless claims about the 2020 election being "fixed."
Driving the news: Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss claimed in a motion filed in Washington, D.C., federal court that Giuliani in his podcast continued to make baseless accusations about them counting fraudulent ballots during the 2020 presidential election.
- "These statements repeat the exact same lies for which Mr. Giuliani has already been held liable, and which he agreed to be bound by court order to stop repeating," Freeman and Moss's attorney, Michael Gottlieb, wrote in the motion.
- "The Court should hold Mr. Giuliani in civil contempt and — following a hearing, if necessary — impose sanctions calculated to ensure Mr. Giuliani's compliance with the Consent Injunction," he added.
The other side: Giuliani's spokesperson, Ted Goodman, called it a "dishonest and duplicitous attack" intended to deprive the former mayor of his right to freedom of speech.
- "Mayor Giuliani, under the First Amendment of the Constitution, has every right to defend himself, especially as the other side consistently leaks to the press," Goodman said in an email.
Zoom in: In the Nov. 12 and Nov. 14 episodes of his podcast, Giuliani made baseless claims about Moss and Freeman, saying they framed him.
- "Right now ... they want to take $145 million for my telling the truth," he said. "I'm sorry they're going to sue me again for saying it, but what am I going to do but tell the truth."
- The former New York City mayor also called U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, who presided over his defamation trial, "bloodthirsty" in regards to the sentencing of Jan. 6 Capitol riot defendants.
Catch up quick: Freeman and Moss accused Giuliani in a December 2021 lawsuit of falsely claiming that they committed ballot fraud in Georgia so President Biden would win.
- In August 2023, a judge ruled Giuliani was liable for defamation, civil conspiracy and intentional infliction of emotional distress caused to the mother and daughter. A jury in December ordered him to pay $148 million in damages to the poll workers.
- Giuliani sought bankruptcy protection, but a federal judge in New York dismissed the case in July 2024.
Go deeper: Rudy Giuliani ordered to hand over penthouse to defamed Georgia election workers
