Rudy Giuliani has been found in contempt of court for the second time within a week, with a federal judge warning that he could face jail time if he continues to disseminate false statements about two former Georgia election officials. This judgment comes after Wandrea “Shaye” Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman, successfully secured a $148 million defamation ruling against Giuliani. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, located in Washington, D.C., determined that Giuliani violated court orders which prohibited him from making defamatory comments about Moss and Freeman. The judge mandated that he review evidence from the case and cautioned that further breaches could result in incarceration.
Moss and Freeman initiated legal action against Giuliani after he accused them of engaging in election fraud during the 2020 presidential election. Their lives were significantly impacted, leading to serious safety concerns stemming from racist threats and harassment they endured due to Giuliani’s false claims. While the judge was elucidating the reasons for her contempt ruling, Giuliani appeared amused, which prompted Howell, appointed by President Obama, to remark on the “outrageous and shameful” nature of his position that he has been unfairly treated in this matter.
Giuliani vocalized his discontent with the judicial proceedings, labeling Howell as “bloodthirsty” through social media just prior to the hearing and denouncing the proceedings as hypocritical. After exiting the courtroom, he continued to criticize the judge, calling her “completely biased and prejudiced,” and stated that she failed to consider his arguments.
This is another complication in Giuliani’s already troubled legal journey, marked by criminal charges and the loss of his law licenses in both Washington, D.C., and New York due to false election claims. During the hearing on Friday, Giuliani provided testimony solely to validate records regarding his personal finances.
While Judge Howell refrained from imposing a fine for his recent defamatory statements, she did indicate that failure to comply with her directive to review trial records could incur daily penalties of $200 within a ten-day period.
In December 2023, a jury ruled in favor of Moss and Freeman, awarding them $75 million for punitive damages alongside approximately $73 million in other damages. Their legal representatives stated that Giuliani began his deceptive claims about the plaintiffs in December 2020 and continued to do so despite being informed that these allegations were baseless, malicious, and harmful.
Defense lawyers for Giuliani contended that the plaintiffs have not demonstrated “clear and convincing” evidence of a court order violation from comments he made in November podcasts regarding alleged ballot-counting inconsistencies in Georgia. They argued that Giuliani believed in good faith that his remarks did not infringe upon the judgment and, consequently, should not face contempt penalties.
On a separate note, Giuliani was found in contempt of court by Judge Lewis Liman in New York on Monday regarding related claims concerning his failure to present requested evidence essential for determining whether he could retain ownership of a condominium in Palm Beach, Florida. Testimony in Liman’s courtroom revealed that Giuliani had not complied with requests due to perceptions of overreach or fears of being trapped by the plaintiffs’ attorneys.
Giuliani, now 80 years old, sought to avoid appearing in person on Friday, citing death threats and needing to be cautious while traveling. However, he eventually revoked his request to join virtually after Judge Howell demanded that he clarify whether he had left Florida in the prior month.
During the defamation trial, Moss and Freeman recounted the terror they faced after being singled out by false conspiracy narratives propagated by Giuliani and others seeking to maintain Trump’s presidency post-election loss. Moss recounted drastic changes in her lifestyle stemming from the fear of reprisals, which included altering her appearance and experiencing anxiety-filled panic attacks.
Giuliani has pleaded not guilty to nine felony counts in relation to allegations of spreading false information about election fraud in Arizona after the 2020 election. Moreover, he is also facing separate charges in Georgia alongside Trump and other associates, accused of attempting to reverse the state’s 2020 election results. The status of the Georgia case remains uncertain, as a recent ruling from an appeals court halted the prosecution by the Fulton County District Attorney’s office, citing a conflict of interest linked to the relationship between the DA and a specially appointed prosecutor.
