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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Rudy Giuliani admitted that he made false statements about Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, having accused them of mishandling ballots in the 2020 presidential election in Fulton County, Georgia with no proof.
Giuliani’s claims were widely debunked by Georgia and federal investigators but were echoed far and wide by Donald Trump and his supporters, resulting in death threats and damages to the livelihoods of the two election workers. Per January 6th select committee testimony, Moss had to leave her job at the Fulton County election Department, where she had worked since 2017, after the threats became too much and she and her mother were forced to hide their identities.
Giuliani’s late-night filing in July 2023 is the first time he has conceded that his accusations were baseless and ceased to contest Moss and Freeman’s accusations that he smeared them after the 2020 election. Freeman and Moss first filed their defamation lawsuit against Giuliani in 2021.
Michael J. Gottlieb, the attorney for Moss and Freeman, commented on the filing:
"Giuliani's stipulation concedes what we have always known to be true — Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss honorably performed their civic duties in the 2020 presidential election in full compliance with the law; and the allegations of election fraud he and former-President Trump made against them have been false since day one. While certain issues, including damages, remain to be decided by the court, our clients are pleased with this major milestone in their fight for justice, and look forward to presenting what remains of this case at trial."
