Two Georgia election officials who won a $148 million defamation verdict against Rudolph Giuliani accused the former New York mayor of making new, false statements about them during a livestream in April.
Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea' Arshaye “Shaye” Moss won their defamation lawsuit against Giuliani in December, just days before he filed for bankruptcy. Former President Donald Trump's former adviser last month asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York to allow him to appeal, his latest attempt to reduce or overturn the arbitration award.
Not only is Giuliani's latest filing a “flawed litigation tactic,” but the former mayor made false statements again last month, accusing Georgia election officials of rigging the 2020 presidential election, even after losing the defamation lawsuit and subsequently receiving warnings from bankruptcy court. Freeman and Moss said Tuesday in an objection to his motion.
Giuliani livestreamed a video of himself on social media platforms on April 11, telling a crowd in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that he could provide evidence that Georgia election officials had counted ballots multiple times it in the file.
“Giuliani’s statements reflect his ongoing belief that laws and their consequences do not apply to him,” the filing said.
A spokesman for Giuliani did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A committee of unsecured creditors also urged the court to reject Giuliani's request to continue the appeal on Tuesday, saying creditors would be asked to “be on guard as he continually delays his day of reckoning at their expense.” .
Giuliani was wasting money in his bankruptcy case by missing extensions that he himself had requested, the committee said.
Just days after his livestream, Giuliani lost a motion for a new trial or a reduction in the award for Freeman and Moss in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He appealed the original arbitration award and the April ruling on Monday.
Giuliani's most recent filing with the bankruptcy court said the appeal would benefit his other creditors because he might be able to avoid the defamation judgment or reduce its size, thereby freeing up more funds to pay off his debts. The former mayor said he has assets of about $10.6 million, offset by liabilities of nearly $153 million, most of which stem from the defamation award.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, Dubose Miller LLC and United to Protect Democracy are representing the election workers. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP represents the committee. Berger, Fischoff, Sumer, Wexler & Goodman LLP represents Giuliani.
The case is In re: Rudolph W. Giuliani, Bankr. SDNY, No. 23-bk-12055, Appeal 7/5/24.
