Rudy Giuliani erupted in Manhattan court on Tuesday, accusing the judge of being unfairly “against him” as he failed to delay a January trial date in his $148 million defamation case.
“Every implication that you’ve made is against me!” Giuliani, the disbarred former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District, shouted at Judge Lewis Liman during a hearing in Manhattan federal court.
The 80-year-old former New York City mayor threw a tantrum after Liman questioned why Giuliani had not yet turned over the title to his 1980 Mercedes convertible to two Georgia election workers he defamed after the 2020 presidential election.
“Your client is a competent person. He was the U.S. Attorney in this district,” Liman said, addressing Giuliani’s lawyer. “The notion that he can’t apply for a title certificate,” he continued before Giuliani interrupted.
“I did apply for it!” Giuliani pleaded. “What am I supposed to do, make it up myself? Your implication that I have not been diligent about it is totally incorrect.”
The embattled former mayor then accused the judge of mischaracterizing his claim that he has limited access to assets, suggesting that he was claiming to be “impoverished.”
“I’m not impoverished… Everything I have is tied up,” Giuliani insisted, adding without evidence that someone had placed a “stop order” on his Social Security account.
The judge warned him not to speak again.
“Your client can either represent himself by counsel or appear pro se,” Liman said, referring to the legal term for self-representation. “He can’t do both.”
The January 16 trial will determine whether Giuliani will be forced to forfeit his Palm Beach, Florida condo and possibly hand over his Yankees World Series rings, which he claims were a gift to his son Andrew, to the election workers, as he appeals a Washington, D.C. trial judgment in the defamation case.
