Rudy Giuliani in court as lawyers for election workers pursue US$148 million judgment

Ex-New York mayor, found liable for defaming poll workers during 2020 election, could face civil sanctions over failure to turn over assets

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Rudy Giuliani, former New York mayor, outside US District Court in Manhattan on Friday. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:50am, 4 Jan 2025Updated: 7:34am, 4 Jan 2025

Rudy Giuliani testified on Friday at a contempt hearing to decide whether he has dodged and deceived lawyers trying to recover a US$148 million judgment for two Georgia election workers, lamenting the speedy deadline imposed on him to turn over information about his assets.

The former New York City mayor testified in Manhattan federal court that the two-week time frame he was given to respond to the requests “was very short”, in comparison to how long he was given to provide information in 15 to 20 other court cases he is involved in.

Judge Lewis J. Liman indicated he would not rule immediately on whether Giuliani will face civil sanctions for failing to turn over some assets.

Giuliani, 80, asked on Thursday if he could appear remotely at the hearing, but he changed his mind after the judge said his options at the proceeding would be limited if he did not appear in person.

The lawyers claim Giuliani has displayed a “consistent pattern of wilful defiance” of Liman’s October order to give up assets, after he was found liable in 2023 for defaming the poll workers by falsely accusing them of tampering with ballots during the 2020 presidential election.

The election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea Moss, say Giuliani has not responded to all of the questions they have sent him in recent months to help them determine what property he must turn over as payment towards the US$148 million defamation verdict.