U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell on Friday found Rudy Giuliani in contempt of court for continuing to spread false claims about two former Georgia election workers.
Why It Matters
Giuliani, a former attorney for President-elect Donald Trump and a former mayor of New York City, has faced legal and financial issues in recent years. He’s also been accused of involvement in attempts to overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden .
The now-80-year-old was found liable in 2023 for defaming two former Georgia election workers —Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea “Shaye” Moss—after falsely accusing them of ballot tampering during the 2020 election. He was ordered to pay them $148 million in damages.
Giuliani has pleaded not guilty to all criminal charges against him and maintained his innocence in the defamation case, calling the damages award for the former election workers, “absurd.” He tried to appeal the judgment but lost.
What To Know
In November 2024, Freeman and Moss’ attorneys asked Howell to find Giuliani in contempt of court, arguing that he had violated court orders by accusing the women of wrongdoing in two episodes of his online show America’s Mayor Live …