Judge Signals Contempt Hearing Over $148M Defamation Award May Not Favor Giuliani

A federal judge has indicated that Rudy Giuliani’s upcoming contempt hearing may not proceed in his favor, as two Georgia election workers seek to collect a $148 million defamation judgment against him.

Judge Lewis J. Liman of Manhattan issued an order on Friday criticizing Giuliani and his legal team for allegedly avoiding full cooperation with the election workers’ attorneys. The workers’ lawyers claim Giuliani failed to hand over assets, including a lease for his Manhattan apartment, a Mercedes, various watches and jewelry, a signed Joe DiMaggio shirt, and other baseball memorabilia.

Judge Liman made it clear that Giuliani and his legal representatives should be prepared to address why adverse inferences should not be drawn against him, potentially putting Giuliani’s Palm Beach, Florida, condominium at risk of forfeiture to satisfy the defamation award. Liman also signaled the possibility of ruling on the contempt request during the hearing.

Giuliani has argued that his Palm Beach property serves as his personal residence and should be exempt from the judgment. However, he faces a January 16 trial to determine the disposition of this property and other possessions, including World Series rings.

In October, Judge Liman ordered Giuliani to turn over the items in question. During a contentious November hearing, Giuliani expressed frustration with the judge, accusing Liman of treating him unfairly.

The defamation case stems from Giuliani’s false accusations against the two Georgia poll workers, whom he claimed tampered with ballots during the 2020 presidential election. The workers reported receiving death threats after Giuliani alleged they smuggled ballots in suitcases, counted them multiple times, and manipulated voting machines.

A request for comment was sent to Giuliani’s attorney, who had also been scheduled for a deposition on Friday. Giuliani’s legal team has maintained confidence that he will ultimately regain possession of the disputed assets through an appeal.