Rudy Giuliani, the former attorney to President Donald Trump, has reportedly settled his defamation lawsuit with two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss.
The lawsuit, which has been a significant legal battle for Giuliani, was initiated after he falsely accused the pair of manipulating the results of the 2020 presidential election. This false claim led to a wave of harassment and abuse directed at the women.
According to The Independent, Giuliani's lawyers have stated that he has "fully" paid the $148 million he owed to Freeman and Moss, potentially marking the end of a legal saga that has unfolded in courtrooms in Washington, DC, and New York. The judgment against Giuliani was "fully satisfied," and attorneys moved to dismiss the case on Monday, following a settlement reached with the election workers last month.
In December 2023, a jury awarded Freeman and Moss $148 million in damages. Giuliani's bankruptcy case, which was short-lived, was dismissed last year, allowing him and his creditors to fight for control of his assets in separate courtrooms overseeing the lawsuits against him. The settlement reached in January averted a trial to determine whether Giuliani would have to give the women control of his Florida condominium after he relinquished his New York penthouse apartment and 1980 Mercedes-Benz convertible.
In a statement released at the time of the settlement, the election workers said, "We have agreed to allow Mr Giuliani to retain his property in exchange for compensation and his promise not to ever defame us." They described the past four years as "a living nightmare" and expressed relief at the settlement, stating, "We have fought to clear our names, restore our reputations, and prove that we did nothing wrong. Today is a major milestone in our journey."
Giuliani, speaking after the settlement was reached, called the ordeal "unfortunate." He said, "No one deserves to be subjected to threats, harassment, or intimidation. This litigation has taken its toll on all parties. This whole episode was unfortunate. I and the plaintiffs have agreed not to ever talk about each other in any defamatory manner, and I urge others to do the same."
The settlement is expected to conclude all litigation currently pending between Giuliani and the election workers. However, Giuliani's legal troubles did not end there. He was found in contempt of court for repeatedly missing deadlines and ignoring court orders during a two-day hearing in Manhattan. In a different court in Washington, DC, Giuliani was held in contempt for repeatedly lying about the women he defamed.
In a series of hearings in a federal courtroom in Manhattan last year, Giuliani was repeatedly admonished by District Judge Lewis Liman for failing to comply with court orders. At one point, Giuliani claimed he was cash-strapped and interrupted the judge, stating, "Everything I have is tied up. I dont have a car. I dont have a credit card. I dont have cash. I cant get to bank accounts that truly would be mine because they have put stop orders on, for example, my social security account I dont have a penny, and its been tied up by them."
Judge Liman warned Giuliani that he would not be allowed to speak next time, or "the court will have to take action." Following his outburst in court, Giuliani held a press conference outside the courthouse, where he claimed that he was being "punished" by the Biden administration for his efforts to publicize the contents of the so-called Hunter-Biden laptop.
Giuliani's legal battles and their resolution have been closely watched by Americans across the political spectrum. The defamation lawsuit and its settlement highlight the importance of truth and accountability in public discourse, particularly in the context of election integrity. As the saga concludes, it serves as a reminder of the potential legal consequences of spreading false information.
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