Rudy Giuliani was found to be legally liable on Wednesday for defaming two Georgia election workers who were the targets of conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.
In a 57-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled in favor of the two election workers by default after Giuliani resisted turning over discovery in the case, Fox 31 reported.
“Perhaps, he has made the calculation that his overall litigation risks are minimized by not complying with his discovery obligations in this case,” Howell wrote. “Whatever the reason, obligations are case specific, and withholding required discovery in this case has consequences.”
To cover the legal costs the election workers incurred in their attempt to compel Giuliani to turn over the discovery, Howell also ordered Giuliani to pay nearly $90,000 and his businesses to pay more than $43,000.
The decision deals Giuliani, a former federal prosecutor and mayor of New York City who is now representing Trump, a serious legal blow. This month, Giuliani was charged in Georgia for his actions following the 2020 election, including claims that are similar to the claims made in the lawsuit filed by the election workers.
According to Howell’s decision, Giuliani is automatically held civilly liable for defamation, willful infliction of emotional distress, and civil conspiracy.
Damages will still be decided at trial, and Howell’s decision gives Giuliani one last chance to turn over discovery for the trial.
Giuliani acknowledged in court documents late last month that the disputed statements were false and defamatory but chose not to turn over the relevant documents.
The admissions, according to Howell, “hold more holes than Swiss cheese,” and Giuliani has reserved the right to claim that they were opinions or were protected by the constitution on appeal.
Several election-related cases in Georgia have taken many turns in recent weeks.
Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis requested on Tuesday that all 19 defendants charged in a massive racketeering case involving meddling in the state’s 2020 election have their cases expedited.
Judge Scott McAfee of Fulton County Superior Court moved up the defendant’s trial date from May to October after defendant Kenneth Chesebro requested a speedy trial in the case.
In that ruling, McAfee stated that Chesebro is the only party affected by the decision to proceed with an October trial date “at this time.” Willis pushed back against that decision in a Tuesday court filing.
“The State of Georgia respectfully requests that the Court set aside its Case Specific Scheduling Order entered on August 24, 2023, to the extent that the Order states, ‘[a]t this time, these deadlines do not apply to any co-defendant,’” Willis wrote in the filing.
“At an absolute minimum, the Court should set Defendant Powell’s trial and that of any other defendant who may file a speedy trial demand on the same date as Defendant Chesebro’s,” Willis wrote.
As she has maintained since announcing charges earlier this month, Willis said on Tuesday that her office’s position that “severance is improper at this juncture and that all Defendants should be tried together” is still in effect.
The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee is pressing DA Willis to provide details regarding her prosecution of Trump.
“Your indictment and prosecution implicate substantial federal interests, and the circumstances surrounding your actions raise serious concerns about whether they are politically motivated,” says a letter sent to Willis by the committee.
The panel lashed out at Willis for appearing to politicize her prosecution of the former president.
“Turning first to the question of motivation, it is noteworthy that just four days before this indictment, you launched a new campaign fundraising website that highlighted your investigation into President Trump,” the letter goes on to say.
“Additionally, the forewoman of the special grand jury you convened to investigate President Trump earlier this year bragged during an unusual media tour about her excitement at the prospect of subpoenaing President Trump and getting to swear him in,” the letter continued.
“Last week, the Fulton County Superior Court’s Clerk publicly released a list of criminal charges against President Trump reportedly hours before the vote of the grand jury,” the letter goes on. “A Fulton County court has disqualified you from targeting current Georgia Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones as part of your probe on the grounds that you actively supported and held fundraising events for his Democratic opponent.
“And unlike officials in other jurisdictions, Fulton County officials ‘have suggested [they] will process [the former President] as [a] typical criminal defendant, requiring mug shots and possibly even cash bond,’” which happened, the letter noted further.
