Rudy Giuliani faces pressure from two election workers to surrender his financial assets after a significant legal loss.
According to USA Today, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss have requested a federal court in Manhattan to command the appropriation of Giuliani’s financial assets and properties to satisfy a $150 million defamation judgment.
In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, Rudy Giuliani, a former New York Mayor, made headlines with his controversial declarations about election fraud. He pinpointed Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, alleging they manipulated voting results by stuffing ballot boxes, a claim later proven false in court.
A jury in December 2023 found Giuliani accountable for defamation and causing emotional distress, resulting in a massive $148 million verdict against him. Despite this, Giuliani sought refuge in bankruptcy only to withdraw his claim in July 2024, as the court proceedings disclosed his attempts to shield his assets. The plaintiffs, Freeman and Moss, have been proactive in seeking what is lawfully theirs, filing a motion to acquire Giuliani’s assets, which include cash, jewelry, and property stakes in New York and Florida.
The personal toll on Freeman and Moss has been profound. Shaye Moss, reflecting on the impact of Giuliani’s actions, shared her distress in a statement reported by Reuters:
Giuliani’s false claims forced her out of her job and made her fearful to go out alone... flooded with racist messages, including threats to lynch her and her mother.
The disinformation spread by Giuliani not only challenged their professional lives but infringed deeply on their safety and well-being, leading to severe psychological and emotional consequences.
Since the dismissal of the bankruptcy case, the pathway for Freeman and Moss to enforce the judgment has cleared, prompting their legal team to initiate rigorous asset collection endeavors. Ted Goodman, speaking on behalf of Giuliani, criticized the legal action as extreme and politically motivated. He argued that the judgment was not just exorbitant but also part of a broader attempt to debilitate Giuliani politically.
The statement from Giuliani’s camp outlines their perception of the judgment and its implications:
"The $148 million verdict is objectively unreasonable... designed to harass and intimidate [Giuliani]... we live in a time where the justice system has been weaponized against Mayor Giuliani and so many others for strictly partisan political purposes."
Despite this claim, the legal proceedings underscore a significant pushback against misinformation, particularly relating to electoral processes, holding individuals accountable for the repercussions of such allegations.
Gaining a nuanced understanding of these proceedings not only clarifies the direct impact on those involved but also elucidates broader societal implications concerning accountability and justice in the wake of misinformation.
The demands for Giuliani to relinquish various assets underscore an intensive legal battle that is expected to set precedents in defamation cases tied to public figures and election processes. Both Freeman and Moss are committed to pursuing every legal avenue to ensure the judgment is respected and executed, reflecting a larger quest for justice and reparations for damage done.
In December 2023, Giuliani was ordered to compensate Freeman and Moss $148 million for defamation, a ruling that laid bare the severe consequences of spreading falsehoods during critical democratic processes. Now, as Freeman and Moss strive to collect the settlement through legal mechanisms, this case remains a pivotal instance of the challenges and necessities of safeguarding election integrity and personal dignity against baseless accusations.
