Giuliani Is Held in Contempt of Court in Defamation Case

A federal judge held Rudolph W. Giuliani in contempt of court on Monday for his failure to comply with the court’s order to transfer $11 million of his personal assets to Georgia poll workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss, whom he falsely accused of involvement in the 2020 presidential election fraud.

Giuliani, 80, the former mayor of New York City, has yet to provide most of his personal assets, which were supposed to be part of a $148 million judgment awarded to Freeman and Moss in their defamation lawsuit.https://wordpress.com/

Judge Lewis J. Liman of the U.S. District Court in Manhattan has not yet specified what penalties Giuliani may face. However, this contempt ruling could threaten his efforts to retain his $3.5 million Palm Beach, Florida, condo.

Giuliani’s assets include a 10-room apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, a 1980 Mercedes-Benz convertible, a collection of 26 designer watches, and rare Yankees memorabilia, including a signed Joe DiMaggio jersey (which, notably, is missing).

Giuliani is scheduled for a civil trial in Manhattan on January 16, where he plans to argue that his Florida condo should be exempt from seizure under Florida law as his primary residence. However, he has repeatedly failed to provide the necessary documentation to prove his residency.

The court found that Giuliani obstructed efforts by the election workers to determine his actual primary residence, which had long been the cooperative apartment on East 66th Street in Manhattan. Judge Liman expressed frustration with Giuliani’s changing explanations for his omissions, ruling that his non-compliance could lead the court to make unfavorable conclusions about his residency, undermining his defense.

“The defendant has been attempting to run out the clock,” Judge Liman remarked, dismissing Giuliani’s claim that his numerous court-related obligations, including criminal charges, were an excuse. “Being busy and relying on others is no excuse,” he added.

Monday’s contempt charges specifically concern Giuliani’s failure to cooperate in providing information about his condo. He could face further contempt charges for not turning over other assets, some of which remain in legal limbo. During a lengthy cross-examination last Friday, Giuliani stated that he had made progress in obtaining the title for the convertible he must surrender, but the election workers still have not received it.

Giuliani attended Monday’s hearing via video conference due to health issues, seated at a desk in a dark blue suit with a large American flag displayed on the screen behind him. Judge Liman, visibly irritated, requested the background be removed during the session, among other tense exchanges.

At one point, Giuliani attempted to speak over his attorney, asking if he could update the court on his progress regarding the property handover. “I want you to act as a witness, not a lawyer,” Judge Liman interjected. Giuliani did not return after the lunch recess.

The hearing focused on Giuliani’s failure to comply with discovery requests from Freeman and Moss’s lawyers, including emails and communications that might clarify his residency, as well as a list of his legal, medical, and financial advisors since 2020. Giuliani had delayed answering these questions, at times arguing that the requests were too broad or citing security concerns due to his work as Donald Trump’s personal lawyer.

The original deadline for providing the property was over two months ago, but Giuliani insisted he had largely complied with asset-related requests despite the delays. At one point, he showed a gold pocket watch he claimed to have inherited from his grandfather, one of several watches he has yet to turn over, although he said he was now willing to surrender it.

In his most recent response to an outstanding request, Giuliani submitted a list of his doctors’ names—without their office addresses. “I never deliberately tried to hide or omit a document,” he said.

Aaron Nathan, attorney for Freeman and Moss, argued that Giuliani had only provided “cherry-picked” documents that failed to give a full picture ahead of the condo trial.

Judge Liman agreed with the plaintiffs, ruling that Giuliani had “willfully violated a clear and unambiguous order of the court.” He is still considering potential sanctions, which could include fines or imprisonment.

In a statement, Giuliani’s spokesperson, Ted Goodman, called the ruling politically motivated. “The women’s lawyers may be pleased to fight for the mayor’s most prized possessions, including his signed Joe DiMaggio jersey and his grandfather’s pocket watch, but they can never take away his extraordinary public service record,” Goodman said.

The lawyers for Freeman and Moss declined to comment.

This ruling represents another setback for Giuliani in the aftermath of his defamation case. In November, his original attorneys withdrew from the case, citing professional ethics concerns. One of the lawyers, Kenneth Caruso, in an unsealed letter, revealed that Giuliani had not cooperated in the discovery process regarding his Florida condo and had been withholding access to his electronic devices.

Giuliani could also face separate contempt charges on Friday in a Washington, D.C., court, where he is accused of violating an order to cease making false statements about Freeman and Moss.