A federal judge on Friday found Rudy Giuliani in contempt in the defamation case brought by two former Georgia election workers following the 2020 presidential election, warning he could face time behind bars for further violations.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington marks the former New York City mayor’s second contempt finding this week in the high-profile defamation case. Howell ordered Giuliani to sign a declaration acknowledging that he had a full opportunity to cross-examine witnesses and review trial evidence, as well as confirming that no testimony or government report has ever contradicted the claims of the election workers, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss.
The judge warned that if Giuliani violated her order, she would seriously consider jail time.
Freeman and Moss sued Giuliani for claiming that they committed election fraud during the 2020 presidential race. In 2023, Howell found Giuliani liable for defamation after he failed to provide court-ordered evidence, leading to a jury awarding $146 million in damages. Giuliani has appealed the verdict.
The judge found Giuliani’s recent comments on his streaming show appeared to again accuse the women of election fraud, violating a prior court order to stop defaming them. Howell criticized Giuliani’s actions, saying he needed to be mindful of his platform’s influence.
“You’re the most famous person in this courtroom right now,” Howell said. “You’ve got a bigger audience and a bigger public following than anyone in this courtroom.”
Giuliani’s attorney, Eden Quainton, argued that his client had complied with the agreement for months before the recent comments, but Howell dismissed this as irrelevant. She also rejected Giuliani’s claims that his statements were not defamatory because he truly believed the allegations against Freeman and Moss.
Giuliani testified about his finances during the hearing, calling Freeman and Moss’s legal team an “army of lawyers.” However, Freeman and Moss’s attorney, Michael Gottlieb, pointed out that Giuliani himself has a team of lawyers from multiple firms.
Before the hearing, Giuliani posted on X, calling the proceedings a “hypocritical waste of time” and accusing the judge of bias. His representative, Ted Goodman, later claimed that the contempt ruling was part of a campaign to silence Giuliani and restrict his constitutional rights.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“The public should know that Mayor Rudy Giuliani never had the opportunity to defend himself on the facts in the defamation case,” Goodman said. “This is an important point that many Americans still don’t realize due to biased coverage and a campaign to silence Mayor Giuliani. This contempt ruling is designed to prevent Mayor Giuliani from exercising his constitutional rights.”
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman in New York held Giuliani in contempt, ordering him to hand over valuables, including a Mercedes and Joe DiMaggio jersey, to settle debts.
