WASHINGTON — Rudy Giuliani, a former New York City mayor, faced a second contempt of court ruling this week for his ongoing defamatory remarks about two Georgia election workers, exacerbating his legal challenges. On Friday, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., declared Giuliani in contempt for violating a previous order that prohibited him from defaming Wandrea “Shaye” Moss and Ruby Freeman. This decision follows closely behind a $148 million defamation judgment awarded to the women by a jury for damages sustained due to Giuliani’s false accusations of election fraud.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell reprimanded Giuliani for his continued dissemination of falsehoods about the plaintiffs, who had suffered intense racist threats and harassment as a result of his claims. Adding to the punitive measures, Howell mandated Giuliani to reacquaint himself with the trial’s testimony and related documents, cautioning that non-compliance could lead to incarceration.
The case’s origins trace back to the contentious 2020 elections, wherein Giuliani publicly implicated Moss and Freeman in fraudulent electoral activities, a claim that was baseless and inflicted severe personal consequences on the two women. The legal actions culminated in December when a jury allocated $75 million in punitive damages and approximately $73 million in additional damages to the mother-daughter duo.
In a defiant tone before Friday’s hearing, Giuliani criticized Judge Howell on social media, labeling the proceedings a “hypocritical waste of time” and calling Howell “bloodthirsty” and biased. Despite these assertions, Giuliani appeared to undermine the gravity of the court session by smiling and chuckling as Howell elucidated the reasons for the contempt ruling. When pressed by Giuliani about the preparedness of her decision, Howell confirmed she had indeed drafted her judgment beforehand, sparking further protest from Giuliani as he left the court, dismissing the legal process as “a farce.”
During the hearing, Giuliani was only required to verify his personal financial records. No fines were issued for his most recent derogatory comments about Moss and Freeman, however, Howell’s ruling included a stipulation for a daily fine of $200 if Giuliani failed to certify his compliance with her review order within 10 days.
Additionally, in New York earlier in the week, Judge Lewis Liman found Giuliani in contempt for not providing evidence pertinent to a separate legal matter concerning whether he could retain ownership of a condominium in Palm Beach, Florida. Giuliani, who had voiced concerns about traveling due to health and safety reasons linked to death threats, expressed disillusionment with the judiciary’s insensitivity to his conditions.
Both Moss and Freeman have shared distressing accounts of the toll Giuliani’s conspiracy theories have taken on their lives,from altered personal habits and severe anxiety to a profound sense of loss concerning their home and community. Despite the judicial victory, Freeman lamentably noted that no amount of money could fully restore their former sense of security or anonymity.
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