Top line
The two Georgia election officials against whom Rudy Giuliani was ordered to pay nearly $150 million accused former President Donald Trump's former lawyer of abusing the bankruptcy system in a lawsuit Thursday after Giuliani's defamation verdict the day after had filed for bankruptcy and this is now the case and would like to appeal against the judgment.
In December, Giuliani was ordered to pay two Georgia election officials $148 million for defaming the campaign … [+]
AP/Alex Brandon
Important facts
The pair of Georgia poll workers filed an objection in Giuliani's bankruptcy case, in which Giuliani is asking to appeal the original defamation judgment and stop enforcement of the debt.
Rachel Strickland, the attorney for election officials Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, called Giuliani's actions a “flawed, improper litigation tactic by an actor who has a history of acting in bad faith against the justice system,” adding that there was no legal basis for the grant who wants to give relief to Giuliani.
When Giuliani filed for bankruptcy last month, collection of the money he owed was automatically stayed, and as part of the bankruptcy filing, Giuliani sought an exception to that stay to fund a possible new trial.
Strickland argued that Giuliani has “extremely limited resources” to pay the $148 million he owes Freeman and Moss and therefore “case efficiency is critical.”
A spokesman for Giuliani did not immediately respond to Forbes' request for comment.
Crucial quote
“With this motion, Mr. Giuliani wants to have his cake and eat it too,” Freeman and Moss’ attorney said in Thursday’s filing.
What you should pay attention to
In order for Giuliani to appeal the jury verdict in the defamation case, he needs permission from a bankruptcy judge.
Important background
In December 2021, Freeman and Moss sued Giuliani, claiming that the former Trump adviser “orchestrated a sustained smear campaign” against the two election officials when he spread a false far-right conspiracy theory linking election officials to fraud. Giuliani claimed, among other things, that the workers were caught on camera trying to rig the election in favor of President Joe Biden. After an investigation, Georgia's foreign minister's office ruled that the claims were “false and unfounded.” In August, a federal judge ruled that Giuliani was liable for defamation. Four months later, a jury in Washington, D.C., ordered the former Trump adviser to pay Freeman and Moss $148 million for the defamation charges. A day later, Giuliani filed for bankruptcy, listing assets between $1 million and $10 million and reporting estimated liabilities of $100 million to $500 million.
further reading
Giuliani must pay $148 million in damages for defaming Georgia poll workers (Forbes)
Rudy Giuliani files for bankruptcy after being ordered to pay $148 million to defamed election workers (Forbes)
