Rudy Giuliani, ex-lawyer of former US President Donald Trump, must pay $148 million (approximately €136 million) to two former election workers in the state of Georgia for defamation after he spread lies about them that they helped to to falsify the results of the 2020 presidential election in the southern state. A jury in Washington determined this on Friday in a lawsuit that the two women had filed against him, international news agencies report.
The jury determined that Giuliani must pay the two election workers, Shaye Moss and her mother Ruby Freeman, approximately $73 million for the reputational damage and emotional distress they suffered as a result of his actions. In addition, the former mayor of New York must pay $75 million as a fine for his behavior, the jury determined.
The two black women testified at the trial about a barrage of racist and sexist messages, including death threats, they received after Giuliani and other Trump allies spread a conspiracy theory that they were involved in voter fraud.
Giuliani repeatedly spread lies about Moss and Freeman in the aftermath of the 2020 election, as part of his campaign to help Trump spread his false claims that fraud robbed him of a 2020 election victory. For example, Giuliani wrongly accused them of hiding and counting illegal ballots in an Atlanta gymnasium where votes were processed. President Joe Biden unexpectedly defeated Trump in Georgia in November 2020.
Face of election fraud
A federal judge had already ruled that Giuliani was guilty of defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy. The jury only had to determine the amount of punishment and damages. The eight jurors deliberated for more than ten hours.
“Giuliani thought he could get away with making Ruby and Shaye the face of election fraud because he thought they were mundane and disposable,” their attorney Michael Gottlieb said in his closing argument. “He has no right to sacrifice defenseless officials to a virtual mob to overturn an election result.”
It is believed that Giuliani, who has fallen on hard times since his heyday as America’s mayor, who guided New York City through the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, will not be able to pay the amount. He has dismissed it as “absurd” and said he will appeal the verdict.
Giuliani has also been charged in the Georgia criminal case against Trump and several of his allies, accusing them of a criminal conspiracy to try to overturn the outcome in the state. He has stated that he is innocent.
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