Rudy Giuliani ordered to pay nearly $150 million to Georgia election workers for defamation after 2020 election
Former New York Mayor and attorney to former President Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, has been ordered to pay nearly $150 million to two Georgia election workers for the harm caused by defamatory statements he made about them following the 2020 election.
A Washington, DC, jury awarded Ruby Freeman $16,171,000 for defamation and $20 million for emotional distress, and her daughter, Shaye Moss, $16,998,000 for defamation and $20 million for emotional distress. In addition, the jury awarded $75 million in punitive damages to both plaintiffs.
Giuliani vowed to appeal the verdict after leaving the courtroom.
Freeman and Moss expressed relief and a sense of justice outside the courthouse, with Freeman stating, “Today is not the end of the road. We still have work to do.”
During the trial, Freeman and Moss described the flood of harassing and threatening messages they received after Giuliani and others, including Trump, began attacking them. They detailed how their personal and professional lives were upended by the lies, including through the loss of job opportunities and their sense of safety.
Giuliani’s attorney invoked Giuliani’s legacy as a federal prosecutor and mayor of New York City to paint him as a good man, while Giuliani himself told reporters that he was confident the case would be reversed on appeal and that the trial was absurd.
The issue of Giuliani’s ability to pay the damages remains to be decided in court, as it’s unclear whether he would be able to declare bankruptcy to shield himself from the sum of damages in this lawsuit. This issue has arisen in other high-profile defamation cases, such as the one brought by the families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims against far-right personality Alex Jones.
Giuliani has faced various financial struggles, including being fined over $200,000 for attorneys’ fees and owing more than $1 million to defense attorneys who’ve helped him on other matters. Despite this, he has received help with fundraising to offset some of his debts.
This story has been updated with additional details.