Update: 12/15/2023
Jury orders Giuliani to pay $148 Million to the Georgia election workers he defamed. Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, wrongfully accused by Rudolph W. Giuliani of having tried to steal votes from Donald J. Trump in Georgia, were awarded the damages by a federal court in Washington.
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A federal judge ruled that Rudy Giuliani is liable in a defamation lawsuit brought by two former Fulton County election workers, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss.
The lawsuit alleges that Giuliani knowingly spread false and defamatory statements about the workers in relation to their involvement in the 2020 presidential election. These claims were made during Giuliani's time as former President Donald Trump's attorney, and they were central to the effort to challenge the election results. Despite investigations by state and federal authorities that found no wrongdoing on the part of Freeman and Moss, the false claims persisted, leading to severe personal consequences for the two women, including harassment and death threats.
Throughout the lawsuit, Giuliani refused to comply with court orders to turn over relevant documents.
In July, Giuliani conceded his statements were false, though he did not concede they damaged the plaintiffs.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell issued a default judgment, meaning that it will be up to a grand jury to determine the amount of damages he owes the Freeman and Moss. The judge's ruling, beyond establishing Giuliani's liability, also compels him and his associated companies to pay a total of $89,172.5 in attorney fees to cover the costs incurred by Freeman and Moss in their attempts to secure documents from Giuliani. Howell’s sanction is among the most severe a judge can issue against a defendant in a civil case.
This ruling is yet another legal challenge for Giuliani, who is already facing criminal charges in Fulton County along with former President Trump and others for their alleged efforts to overturn the election results.
