Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City, has been ordered to pay $148 million to election workers in a defamation trial. The trial focused on Giuliani’s claims of widespread voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election. The ruling comes as a blow to Giuliani, who played a prominent role in former President Donald Trump’s legal team.
The defamation lawsuit was filed by employees of the Dominion Voting Systems, a company that provides voting machines and services. They accused Giuliani of spreading false information about the company, leading to threats and harassment against them. Dominion Voting Systems was at the center of many baseless claims of election fraud made by Giuliani and other Trump allies.
During the trial, evidence was presented to support the claim that Giuliani knowingly spread false information about Dominion Voting Systems. The jury deliberated for two days before returning the verdict in favor of the plaintiffs. The $148 million ruling is intended to compensate the election workers for the harm caused by Giuliani’s actions.
This ruling adds to the legal troubles facing Giuliani, who is already under investigation for his role in the events leading up to the January 6th Capitol riot. In addition, Giuliani has faced scrutiny for his involvement with Ukrainian officials during the Trump administration, resulting in his law license being suspended in New York.
Giuliani’s legal team has indicated that they plan to appeal the defamation ruling. They argue that Giuliani was exercising his right to free speech and was acting as an attorney representing his client, former President Trump. However, legal experts suggest that Giuliani may face an uphill battle in overturning the verdict.
The defamation trial and the subsequent ruling highlight the impact of false information and conspiracy theories on the integrity of the electoral process. While Giuliani and others made unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud, multiple courts and election officials found no evidence to support these allegations.
Overall, Giuliani has been ordered to pay $148 million to election workers in a defamation trial focused on his claims of voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election. This ruling comes as Giuliani faces other legal challenges and investigations into his conduct. The trial serves as a reminder of the consequences of spreading false information and the importance of maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.