In the ongoing legal saga involving former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, two Georgia poll workers, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea’ Moss, have petitioned a federal judge to impose sanctions on Giuliani. They accuse him of “attempting to stonewall” ahead of a trial set for January. The case emanates from their previous successful defamation lawsuit amounting to $148 million, where Giuliani was found guilty of falsely asserting they rigged the 2020 presidential election.
According to a filing made in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Giuliani has failed to comply with court orders mandating the submission of documents by November 26. This non-compliance could lead to him being held in contempt. The upcoming trial on January 16 relates to Giuliani’s Palm Beach, Florida condominium, an asset sought after by the poll workers since March for settlement of the judgment.
The former Trump attorney, who entered into bankruptcy proceedings in December 2023, was expelled from Chapter 11 in July after the case stalled. This left him vulnerable to creditors given his liabilities exceeding $150 million. The courts have already mandated the surrender of several of his assets including a Mercedes-Benz vehicle and a Manhattan apartment.
Freeman and Moss contend that Giuliani’s repeated defiance of court orders, particularly regarding discovery, necessitates “severe discovery sanctions.” His past attorneys, Kenneth Caruso and David Labkowski, recently withdrew from the case, granting the poll workers a continued legal advantage in their pursuit of justice.