Rudy Giuliani Held In Contempt 2nd Time In GA Defamation Case

WASHINGTON, DC — A federal judge on Friday found Rudy Guiliani, former New York City mayor and personal attorney to Donald Trump, in contempt of court in the $148 million defamation lawsuit against him involving two Georgia election workers, according to a report.

The decision marked the second time this week a judge has held him in contempt in the case.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell issued the ruling after Giuliani made comments on his streaming show where he continued to claim the election workers — mother and daughter Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss — committed fraud during the 2020 election, NBC News reported. The claims were made despite a court order prohibiting him from defaming them.

Howell also ordered Guiliani to review trial testimony and other materials from the case, and warned him that future violations could result in possible jail time.

Freeman and Moss were dragged into the spotlight on Dec. 3, 2020, when a representative from Donald Trump’s legal team, Jacki Pick, showed a Georgia Senate committee surveillance video from the room where ballots were counted. Pick said Republican observers were asked to leave and that once they were gone, election workers counted hidden, fraudulent ballots.

Pick didn't name the election workers “but said ‘one of them had the name Ruby across her shirt somewhere,’” according to The Associated Press. Later that day, The Gateway Pundit was the first outlet to publish Freeman’s full name, and in a subsequent story also identified Moss.

Freeman and Moss also sued others, including The Gateway Pundit and One America News Network, saying they pushed Donald Trump’s lies about the election being stolen, which led to death threats that made them fear for their lives.

As the allegations spread, Freeman received emails, text messages and threatening phone calls, and strangers showed up at her house, the lawsuit against The Gateway Pundit said. The FBI concluded on Jan. 6, 2021, that she wasn't safe at home, and she relocated for two months. She also abandoned her business selling clothing.

Moss and Freeman eventually sued Giuliani, saying he upended their lives with racist threats and harassment. A jury sided with the mother and daughter, who are Black, in December 2023 and awarded them $75 million in punitive damages plus roughly $73 million in other damages.

On Monday, Federal Judge Lewis Liman of New York also held Giuliani in contempt for failing to divulge information to Freeman and Moss after he was ordered in October to turn over his Manhattan luxury apartment and other valuable possessions to the women.

Giuliani has also been accused of neglecting to turn over assets to Freeman and Moss, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.

Giuliani's testimony in the two-day contempt hearing included acknowledgments that he withheld "certain materials" due to over-broad requests and stress from continuing criminal and civil cases, Fox 5 reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.