Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, has decided not to testify about his own actions at an upcoming court hearing in Manhattan. The hearing, scheduled for Friday, will determine whether he should be held in contempt and face penalties for repeatedly ignoring court orders. These orders are part of a case brought by two Georgia election workers he falsely accused of wrongdoing—Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shay” Moss—who were awarded $148 million in damages.
Giuliani has requested to attend the hearing virtually, citing health problems. According to his lawyer, Joseph Cammarata, Giuliani is dealing with a bad left knee and lung issues, which he says stem from his time spent at the World Trade Center site after the 9/11 attacks. In a letter to U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman, Cammarata asked for Giuliani to participate via Zoom or phone. He also confirmed that Giuliani would not testify if allowed to attend virtually.
Lawyers for Freeman and Moss responded by saying they had no objections to Giuliani attending virtually, as long as he does not testify. They noted that if Giuliani were to change his mind and testify, they would insist on questioning him face-to-face. They added that if Giuliani skips testifying, he shouldn’t later complain about not having a chance to defend himself.
Judge Liman had earlier ordered Giuliani to appear in person at the federal courthouse for the hearing, citing his repeated failures to meet court deadlines and provide required documents and information. The plaintiffs have been trying to collect information about Giuliani’s personal property as part of the case, but his delays have complicated the process.
In a recent court order, Judge Liman indicated that he is likely to find Giuliani in contempt, given his continued refusal to comply with court rules. The judge made it clear that ignoring legal obligations comes with consequences and that his decision on the contempt matter could be announced as early as Friday’s hearing. He also mentioned that the court would discuss whether Giuliani should face additional sanctions for his conduct.
The case highlights the ongoing fallout from Giuliani’s false claims about the 2020 election. Freeman and Moss, who worked as election officials in Georgia, were targeted by Giuliani’s accusations, leading to widespread defamation and personal threats. This hearing is another step in their fight to hold Giuliani accountable for the harm caused by his baseless allegations.
