Judge condemns Giuliani for making slanderous remarks about Georgia election workers in defamation damages trial
Judge criticizes Giuliani for making highly defamatory remarks about Georgia election workers during defamation trial, fueling controversy
The federal judge presiding over Rudy Giuliani's defamation damages trial in Washington, DC, criticized the former Donald Trump lawyer on Tuesday for making "quite defamatory" comments to reporters about the two Georgia election workers involved in the case a day earlier. US District Judge Beryl Howell stated that Giuliani's comments outside the federal courthouse in DC "could support another defamation claim."
Giuliani made more derogatory comments about Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, repeating his false claims about their involvement in vote tampering, during a conversation with reporters on Monday evening after the trial's opening day.
Giuliani confidently claimed, "Oh you're damn right there is" when a reporter questioned the evidence of the allegation. He has been found guilty of defamation and is facing a $230,000 debt to Freeman and Moss for not responding to parts of their lawsuit. Alleging emotional and reputational harm, along with endangering their safety, the mother and daughter are now seeking tens of millions of dollars after being falsely accused of ballot tampering in Georgia by Giuliani.
Howell challenged Giuliani's attorney, Joseph Sibley, regarding his client's contradictory statements compared to the ones he made during his opening statements on Monday. "How do you explain those statements... with his statement yesterday after court that they engaged in criminal conduct?" she inquired of Sibley.
"Your honor, I cannot control Mr. Giuliani's actions," Sibley stated. "I believe Mr. Giuliani is familiar with defamation law, your honor." Giuliani, the ex-mayor of New York, also formerly held the position of lead federal prosecutor in Manhattan.
Howell later inquired about Sibley's ability to prevent his client from making similar comments during his testimony in the trial. She argued that it would be unjust to the plaintiffs if he repeated those statements on the stand, as they have been denied access to crucial information for cross-examination. This refers to Giuliani's admission that he made defamatory comments about Freeman and Moss.
"He seems perfectly capable of following instructions should he be given instructions by the court," Howell said.
