Giuliani poll workers defamation lawsuit overview:
- Who: A federal judge ordered Rudy Giuliani and two of his businesses to pay more than $132,000 to a pair of Georgia poll workers, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss.
- Why: U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell found Giuliani liable for defaming the poll workers he accused of committing ballot fraud during the 2020 presidential election.
- Where: The lawsuit was filed in federal court in the District of Columbia.
A federal judge in the District of Columbia found former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani liable for defaming a pair of Georgia poll workers he accused of committing ballot fraud during the 2020 presidential election; the judge also imposed fines.
U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell imposed fines of more than $132,000 on Giuliani and his businesses and granted a default judgment for his failure to turn over discovery in the complaint and defiance of related court orders.
Judge Howell, while ruling in favor of Georgia poll workers Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss and imposing the fines, noted Giuliani, former attorney to Donald Trump, used “lackluster preservation efforts” despite knowing a lawsuit was likely.
“Giuliani knew, by his own admission, that he would be facing litigation for his involvement in claiming election fraud to undermine the results of the 2020 presidential election,” the judge states in a memorandum opinion.
Poll workers say they endured ‘living nightmare’ following Giuliani’s accusations
Despite knowing a lawsuit was coming, Giuliani’s only attempt to preserve discovery material involved turning off the auto-delete on multiple unspecified electronic devices, Judge Howell says in the opinion.
Giuliani must pay $89,172 directly to Freeman and Moss, while businesses Giuliani Partners LLC and Giuliani Communications LLC must pay $43,684.
In a joint statement following the decision, Freeman and Moss say they endured a “living nightmare” because of Giuliani’s accusations, which they claim led to them receiving threats of violence.
Giuliani was the last remaining defendant in a defamation lawsuit Freeman and Moss filed in December 2021 that also included the right-wing cable network One America News and some of its employees, Law360 reports.
Judge Howell reportedly ordered Giuliani and the poll workers to propose three potential dates for a trial that will determine any further damages caused by his defamatory statements.
In other news related to former President Trump, he, along with 18 others, was indicted in Georgia last month over claims he conspired to interfere with the result of the 2020 presidential election.
Do you believe Rudy Giuliani defamed the Georgia poll workers? What do you think of the fines Giuliana must pay? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiffs are represented by Meryl C. Governski, Michael J. Gottlieb and M. Annie Houghton-Larsen of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP; John Langford, Rachel Goodman, Brittany Williams and Sara Chimene-Weiss of United to Protect Democracy; Von A. DuBose of DuBose Miller LLC; and Kurt G. Kastorf of Kastorf Law LLC.
The Giuliani poll workers defamation lawsuit is Freeman, et al. v. Rudolph D. Giuliani, Case No. 1:21-cv-03354, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
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