Former New York City Mayor and lawyer Rudy Giuliani appeared in court Tuesday, Nov. 26, telling the judge that he cannot pay his bills after being accused of failing to comply with court orders to turn over his assets. The court action is part of a $148 million defamation judgment against him.
Last month, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman ruled that Giuliani must turn over several assets to two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, who won the defamation lawsuit against him. The assets include his Manhattan apartment, a 1980 Mercedes Benz, some luxury watches and jewelry and cash from two checking accounts.
Freeman and Moss were awarded $150 million in damages last December after Giuliani was found liable for defamation over false claims that they tampered with ballots in the 2020 presidential election.
Liman had previously threatened Giuliani with civil contempt for not complying with the order to surrender the assets to Freeman and Moss.
“The implications you are making against me are wrong,” Giuliani told the judge Tuesday. “I have no car, no credit card, no cash, everything I have is tied up. They have put stop orders on my business accounts, and I can’t pay my bills.”
The former mayor’s lawyer said that his client had already turned over most of the required assets. However, attorneys for Freeman and Moss pointed out that the title to the Mercedes, along with the keys and lease to the penthouse apartment, were still missing.
Giuliani explained that he had applied for a duplicate copy of the Mercedes title, but it was not yet in his possession.
“The implication I’ve been not diligent about it is totally incorrect,” he told the judge. “The implication you make is against me, and every implication against me is wrong.”
In response, the judge warned Giuliani’s defense attorneys that the next time Giuliani interrupted the hearing, “the court will take action.”
After the hearing, Giuliani spoke to reporters outside the courthouse, stating that he does not regret his comments about Freeman and Moss but regrets the “persecution” he believes he is facing.
“The reality is I have no cash,” Giuliani said. “It’s all tied up. So right now, if I wanted to call a taxi cab, I can’t do it. I don’t have a credit card. I don’t have a checking account.”
Giuliani is scheduled to return to court for a trial on Jan. 16 related to the defamation case. The judge will also decide whether Giuliani must surrender his Florida home and four New York Yankees World Series rings.
Giuliani had requested a delay in the trial, citing a planned appearance in Washington, D.C., for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. The judge denied the request.
“Also, the trial he set down for the period of time during President Trump’s inauguration, he really doesn’t need to have it because he’s going to rule against me,” Giuliani said. “If he were sitting in that courtroom and couldn’t figure it out, you’re stupid.”
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Author: Lauren Taylor
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