Rudy Giuliani was found in contempt of court Friday for the second time in a week, as a federal judge warned Giuliani he could be sent to jail if he doesn’t stop spreading lies about two former Georgia election workers who won a $148 million defamation judgment against him.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington found that the former New York City mayor and former attorney for President-elect Donald Trump violated court orders barring him from defaming Wandrea “Shaye” Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman. The judge ordered him to review trial testimony and other materials from the case and warned him that future violations could land him behind bars.
Moss and Freeman sued Rudy Giuliani for defamation for falsely accusing them of committing election fraud in connection with the 2020 election. His lies upended their lives as they received racist threats and harassment.
Giuliani smiled and chuckled as the judge explained why she was holding him in contempt of court. Howell, who was nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama, said it is “outrageous and shameful” for Giuliani to suggest that he is the one who has been treated unfairly in this case.
“This takes real chutzpah, Mr. Giuliani,” she said.
Giuliani calls judge ‘bloodthirsty’
Shortly before the hearing began, Giuliani slammed the judge in a social media post, calling her “bloodthirsty” and biased against him and the proceeding a “hypocritical waste of time.” After leaving the courtroom, Giuliani called the hearing a farce and the judge “completely biased and prejudiced.”
Giuliani briefly testified during Friday’s hearing, but only to authenticate records about his personal finances.
The judge didn’t fine Giuliani for his most recent defamatory comments about the case, but she said she would impose daily fines of $200 if he doesn’t certify within 10 days that he has complied with her order to review trial testimony and other case-related material.
A jury sided with the mother and daughter in December 2023 and awarded them $75 million in punitive damages plus roughly $73 million in other damages
On Monday in New York, Judge Lewis Liman found Giuliani in contempt of court for related claims that he failed to turn over evidence to help the judge decide whether he can keep a Palm Beach, Florida, condominium.
Giuliani says he gets death threats
Giuliani, 80, had tried to get out of appearing in person Friday, telling the judge he gets death threats and has been told to be careful about traveling. But he withdrew his request to appear virtually after the judge ordered him to explain whether he has traveled from his Florida home within the past month.
On the witness stand at the defamation trial, Moss and Freeman described fearing for their lives after becoming the target of a false conspiracy theory that Giuliani and other Republicans spread as they tried to keep Trump in power after he lost the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden. Moss told jurors she tried to change her appearance, seldom leaves her home and suffers from panic attacks.
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