By Zachary Cohen and Alison Main | CNN

Rudy Giuliani Files Defamation Lawsuit Against President Joe Biden

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has taken legal action against President Joe Biden, suing him for defamation. The lawsuit stems from remarks made by Biden during a presidential debate nearly three years ago, in which he referred to Giuliani as a “Russian pawn”.

Giuliani made the announcement at a news conference held in New Hampshire, where he filed the lawsuit to leverage the state’s defamation laws. Despite a high threshold for proving defamation in political settings involving public figures, Giuliani focused his legal action solely against Biden.

This lawsuit comes as Giuliani faces scrutiny across multiple legal fronts and questions about his ability to cover legal expenses. The news conference took place shortly after it was revealed that another lawyer representing Giuliani in the Georgia election subversion case had withdrawn.

When asked about Giuliani’s financial situation and ability to pay his legal fees, Lou Diamond, one of the attorneys present at the news conference, emphasized his unwavering support for Giuliani and dismissed any concerns about payment.

Regarding recent reports from The New York Times about prosecutors investigating Giuliani’s drinking habits and former President Donald Trump’s knowledge of it while Giuliani served as his personal lawyer, Giuliani denied any alcohol-related issues and listed his accomplishments as a former federal prosecutor and mayor.

The crux of Giuliani’s lawsuit revolves around comments made by Biden during a presidential debate in Nashville in 2020. Biden had accused Giuliani of being used as a “Russian pawn” and spreading false information to aid Trump’s election chances.

In response to Biden’s comments, Giuliani claimed personal harm and asserted the falsity of the remarks. The US intelligence community previously assessed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had influence over Andriy Derkach, a Kremlin-linked former Ukrainian lawmaker who met with Giuliani and promoted anti-Biden disinformation.

Giuliani made it clear that his defamation lawsuit was not retaliatory in nature and separate from the lawsuit filed by Hunter Biden against him and his former attorney. Hunter Biden’s lawsuit alleges violations of federal and state computer privacy laws due to alleged hacking attempts on his devices.

CNN has reached out to the White House for comment on this ongoing legal battle.