Rudy Giuliani Held in Contempt Over $148M Defamation Case, Assets Under Scrutiny
Staff Editor Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani Found in Contempt of Court
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has been found in contempt of court for failing to provide information related to a $148 million defamation judgment. U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman issued the ruling following Giuliani’s testimony at a contempt hearing, where he missed a crucial deadline to submit evidence regarding his Palm Beach condominium.
Judge Liman stated that Giuliani “willfully violated” a court order by failing to provide full names of doctors and professional service providers. The judge has decided to assume no changes in service providers after January 1, 2024, as a result of Giuliani’s non-compliance.
The court has imposed restrictions on Giuliani’s ability to present evidence and testimony. He is now barred from testifying about emails or texts to establish Florida residency. Judge Liman criticized Giuliani for providing limited documents and no phone records, allowing inferences about evidence gaps during the trial.
While Judge Liman withheld judgment on further sanctions, Giuliani testified remotely from Palm Beach after an initial courtroom appearance. His attorney, Joseph Cammarata, expressed criticism of the legal proceedings.
Giuliani argued that the requests were overly broad or traps set by plaintiffs’ lawyers. He claimed difficulty in providing asset information due to multiple ongoing legal cases. However, Judge Liman dismissed Giuliani’s excuses for not complying with court orders.
In response to the ruling, Giuliani issued a statement criticizing the justice system. Lawyers representing the election workers accused Giuliani of “willful defiance” of court orders. Giuliani’s publicist also released a statement condemning the legal process.
While Giuliani has turned over some assets, he has not provided all required paperwork. Missing items include watches, sports memorabilia, and cash accounts. A trial is set for January 16 to determine the status of Giuliani’s Florida condominium and other assets.
Giuliani’s lawyers anticipate reclaiming personal items on appeal. This case highlights the ongoing legal challenges and disputes over asset turnover faced by the former mayor.
