For the second time this week, a judge has ruled that Rudy Giuliani is in contempt of court in a case concerning his allegations of election fraud against two Georgia election workers.

Federal Judge Beryl Howell in Washington, DC, sided with the attorneys representing Shaye Moss and Ruby Freeman, determining that Giuliani violated a previous “clear” ruling that prohibited him from continuing to defame the two women, according to The Hill.

Earlier on Monday, a federal judge in Manhattan also found Giuliani in contempt for allegedly attempting to “run out the clock” to avoid paying a $148 million defamation judgment in favor of Freeman and Moss, which they won in 2023.

Judge Howell criticized Giuliani, who once served as President-elect Donald Trump’s personal attorney and was previously regarded as “America’s Mayor,” for using his high profile to spread “fabricated lies” about the women.

“You’re the most famous person in this courtroom right now, you’ve got a bigger audience, you’ve got a bigger public following than anyone in this courtroom,” the judge pointed out.

“I really hoped we were done,” she added.

Earlier, Michael Gottlieb, representing Moss and Freeman, explained that his clients did not want to return to court but emphasized that all they wanted was for Giuliani to stop defaming them. He asked the judge to impose a $20,000 fine for each time Giuliani continued his defamatory behavior, even after Howell’s prior order, according to NBC News.

Gottlieb requested that these fines be taken from funds that have been declared exempt, including an IRA account.

Giuliani’s attorney, Eden Quainton, argued that a $20,000 fine per violation would be “excessive.”

During the proceedings, Giuliani testified that he had around $163,000 in a 401(k), $100,000 in one IRA, and $1.1 million in another, all of which he claimed should be considered exempt from any fines.

“I claim they’re exempt, and you’re trying to take them from me,” Giuliani stated during his testimony.

In November, Giuliani reportedly violated the agreement by repeating his election fraud claims about Moss and Freeman during a streaming broadcast. However, Quainton defended Giuliani, claiming he had honored the agreement for months before the slip-up.

Judge Howell rejected this defense.

“Because he was good for a few months, we ought to excuse any bad behavior after that?” she questioned.

Quainton also argued that Giuliani’s statements on his show couldn’t have been made with malice, a key element in defamation cases, because he truly believed the claims about the women.

This line of defense alarmed Howell, who was concerned that Giuliani would never stop making these accusations.

“He’s never going to stop because he thinks he’s right?” Howell responded. “That’s chilling.”

Ted Goodman, Giuliani’s political advisor, argued that the contempt ruling was intended to suppress Giuliani’s constitutional rights.

“This contempt ruling is designed to prevent Mayor Giuliani from exercising his constitutional rights,” Goodman said.

On Monday, Manhattan Federal Judge Lewis Liman also found Giuliani in contempt for ignoring court deadlines and failing to provide critical information ahead of a trial scheduled for January 16. The case revolves around whether Giuliani’s Florida home and his prized Yankees World Series rings should be forfeited to help pay off his debt to Moss and Freeman.

“The defendant willfully violated a clear and unambiguous order of the court,” Liman declared, also criticizing Giuliani’s testimony as “self-serving.”

{Matzav.com}