A federal judge found Rudy Giuliani, former personal lawyer to Donald Trump, in contempt of court Friday for the second time this week.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell’s ruling was in response to Giuliani refusing to turn over requested financial records in a defamation case brought against him by former Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, whom he repeatedly and falsely accused of committing fraud while serving as Georgia poll workers during the 2020 presidential election.
It’s “outrageous and shameful that Mr. Giuliani suggests that he is the one being treated unfairly,” Howell said in court, according to reporters in the room. “This takes real chutzpah, Mr. Giuliani.”
Howell also ordered the former New York City mayor to sign a sworn declaration stating he’d seen all the trial evidence. She threatened potential jail time if he fails to sign it within the next 10 days.
Giuliani was also held in contempt of court Monday for refusing to surrender records and personal items to Freeman and Moss, including paperwork for his Mercedes convertible and his property in New York City.
In December 2023, a jury ordered Giuliani to pay Freeman and Moss $148 million, and in May, he agreed to a permanent injunction requiring him to stop claiming the mother and daughter had committed fraud.
Giuliani has turned over some possessions to Freeman and Moss, but the women are fighting for ownership papers and the bulk of the settlement.
He’s back in court now after Freeman and Moss say he violated that injunction by slamming the women as fraudsters on his podcast. He even acknowledged the violation in a November episode, saying, “I’m sorry they’re going to sue me again for saying it, but what am I going to do but tell the truth?”
His continued allegations against Freeman and Moss come in spite of the Georgia secretary of state declaring in a 2023 final report that no fraud was detected during the two women’s poll work.
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Freeman and Moss say Giuliani’s accusations upended their lives, forcing them to quit their jobs and go into hiding as they endured an onslaught of threats and racist attacks.
In court Friday, Howell dismissed arguments from Giuliani’s lawyer that his client sincerely believed that the women had engaged in election fraud.
“So, what? You’re saying this defamation is never going to stop? He’s never going to stop saying this because he thinks he’s right?” she asked. “That’s chilling.”