Georgia Election Workers May Hold Rudy Giuliani Liable for Defamation

A federal judge issued a default judgment and ordered former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani to pay sanctions of nearly $133,000 in a defamation and civil conspiracy lawsuit filed by two Georgia election workers. The judge, Beryl Howell, imposed the default judgment and monetary punishment due to Giuliani’s repeated failure to comply with court orders to provide requested evidence. Howell criticized Giuliani’s “willful misconduct” and refusal to adhere to discovery process, describing it as a denial of plaintiffs’ rights. The judge also instructed Giuliani’s attorneys and the two women’s attorneys to suggest three possible trial dates in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., to determine the amount of compensatory and punitive damages Giuliani should pay as a result of the default judgment.

In response, Ted Goodman, Giuliani’s political advisor, criticized the 57-page opinion, claiming it demonstrated the misuse of the justice system as a form of punishment. However, lawyers representing the election workers supported the judgment and released a statement highlighting the harm caused by Giuliani’s false claims and expressing gratitude for the ruling.

Giuliani has faced multiple legal challenges in recent weeks. Alongside former President Donald Trump and 17 other co-defendants, he was indicted by a grand jury in Atlanta on charges related to an alleged conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. The indictment revealed their efforts to discredit Biden’s victory in Georgia by spreading falsehoods about the work of Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, the election workers involved in the defamation lawsuit against Giuliani. The women sued Giuliani in 2021, accusing him of defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and civil conspiracy, which Giuliani acknowledged in a court filing. The default judgment against Giuliani followed his failure to comply with discovery requests, resulting in monetary sanctions to compensate the election workers for legal fees and expenses incurred during the process.

The default judgment against Giuliani adds to his legal troubles, further highlighting his involvement in attempts to undermine the 2020 election results. Judge Howell’s scathing opinion detailed Giuliani’s failure to comply with discovery requests and questioned the legitimacy of his excuse based on attempts to overturn the election. In light of Giuliani’s deliberate noncompliance, the judge considered default judgment as an appropriate discovery sanction. Howell ordered Giuliani to personally reimburse the election workers for their attorneys’ fees and costs, amounting to $89,172.50, and additionally required two of Giuliani’s companies to pay $43,684 for the same conduct.