Giuliani found in contempt of court a second time in Georgia defamation case

Driving the news: Federal district court Judge Beryl Howell said while reading the ruling that Giuliani "engaged in the worst kind of defamation," per CNN.

• She rebuked him for continuously painting himself as a victim in the case and for failing to respond to previous court orders.
• "It is outrageous and shameful," Howell said. "This takes real chutzpah, Mr. Giuliani."

What he's saying: "The public should know that Mayor Rudy Giuliani never had the opportunity to defend himself on the facts in the defamation case," Giuliani's spokesperson, Ted Goodman, said in a statement.

• He added: "This contempt ruling is designed to prevent Mayor Giuliani from exercising his constitutional rights."

Context: Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, two Fulton County, Georgia, election workers, who are mother and daughter, accused Giuliani in a December 2021 lawsuit of making repeated false claims 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 2023 ordered him to pay $148 million in damages to poll workers.

• Guiliani sought bankruptcy protection, but a federal judge in N.Y. dismissed the case in July.

More from Axios:

• Rudy Giuliani held in contempt of court over Georgia defamation case
• Rudy Giuliani ordered to hand over penthouse to defamed Georgia election workers
• Georgia election workers ask federal judge to hold Rudy Giuliani in contempt