Former Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shay” Moss slapped Rudy Giuliani with another defamation lawsuit on Monday after he defended his prior allegations that the mother-daughter duo tampered with 2020 presidential election ballots.
The new lawsuit comes just after a jury awarded Ms. Moss and Ms. Freeman nearly $150 million in damages for previous allegations he made against them. It asks a DC District court to prevent Mr. Giuliani, who served as President Trump’s legal adviser in 2020, from making or publishing statements alleging they “engaged in election fraud, illegal activity, or misconduct of any kind during or related to the 2020 presidential election.” It also seeks attorney’s fees and further relief that the court “deems just and proper.”
“Defendant Giuliani continues to spread the very same lies for which he has already been held liable,” the lawsuit reads.
He added that “of course” he didn’t regret his statements about Ms. Moss and Ms. Freeman. “I told the truth. They were engaged in changing votes.” When a reporter replied that “there’s no proof of that,” Mr. Giuliani said, “you’re damn right there is. Stay tuned.”
After his Dec. 18 verdict, Mr. Giuliani derided the trial as unfair and said he wasn’t able to present the evidence he would have liked to in court.
The election workers had been identified in a video clip that became widely circulated after the 2020 general election. In it, they are seen allegedly mishandling ballots. An investigation by the Georgia Elections Board later cleared Ms. Freeman and Ms. Moss of wrongdoing, but the two women said the damage had been done.
Jurors ultimately awarded Ms. Freeman $16,171,000 for compensatory damages related to defamation and $20 million for emotional distress. The punitive damages, which are intended to send a message in especially bad cases, reached $75 million for both. Ms. Moss was awarded $16,998,000 in compensatory damages for defamation and $20 million for emotional distress.
DC District Judge Beryl Howell issued a default judgment against Mr. Giuliani in August after he failed to produce documents and other information requested by the plaintiffs’ attorneys. Mr. Giuliani also opted not to contest allegations that he made false and defamatory statements about the election workers.
The plaintiffs’ attorney, Michael Gottlieb, argued that Ms. Freeman’s name became “infamous” after Mr. Giuliani’s Dec. 3, 2020, statements about the two. Describing Mr. Giuliani’s and the Trump campaign’s actions, Mr. Gottlieb said that they used rocket fuel and kerosene to burn down a house and ruin its foundations. Even if repairs were made, Mr. Gottlieb said, the house—like the plaintiffs’ lives—would be dangerous to live in.
Mr. Gottlieb argued that the two women should have been seen as heroes but instead were targeted by Mr. Giuliani, who abused his notoriety to defame them. His closing statement started by portraying Mr. Giuliani as unrepentant. He played a video of Mr. Giuliani saying earlier in the week that his statements about the women were true.
After the verdict, Mr. Giuliani told reporters outside the courthouse that the awarded amount was “absurd” and expected the outcome to be reversed.
When asked why he didn’t testify, Mr. Giuliani suggested the judge would have unfairly punished him.
“I didn’t testify because the judge made it clear that if I made any mistake or did anything wrong, she was considering contempt—and this judge does have a reputation for putting people in jail,” he said. “And I thought, honestly, it wouldn’t do any good.”
His attorney, Joseph Sibley, used his closing arguments to tout Mr. Giuliani’s history in law enforcement and distance him from statements the Gateway Pundit made about Ms. Moss and Ms. Freeman. He also said the plaintiffs had been wronged.
“Rudy Giuliani is a good man,” Mr. Sibley said, noting that “he hasn’t exactly helped himself” in “the preceding days” and that he “shouldn’t be defined by” recent events.
“That’s not who he is,” Mr. Sibley said, referring to the idea that Mr. Giuliani was racist. He also reminded the jury of Mr. Giuliani’s role as mayor of New York City. “I’m asking you to remember that this is a man” who did “great things,” Mr. Sibley said. He urged the jury to send a message that would allow Americans to come together during a divisive time in the country.
