Rudy Giuliani Appeals $148M Georgia Election Case Payment

Rudy Giuliani lodged an appeal late Tuesday contesting a jury’s verdict that mandated him to compensate two Georgia election workers with $148 million in defamation damages.

As a legal representative for Donald Trump’s campaign and former mayor of New York City, Giuliani had implicated Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Shaye Moss, in baseless allegations of fraud during the 2020 election. Both Freeman and Moss testified in December 2023 about the racially charged and threatening messages they received due to Giuliani’s unfounded accusations.

Shortly after the jury’s decision in the four-day trial, Giuliani filed for bankruptcy.

Ted Goodman, a political adviser to Giuliani, stated, “No reasonable person could have expected Mayor Rudy Giuliani to afford such a substantial punitive sum.”

Giuliani contends that his statements were protected under the First Amendment and were not made with actual malice. His legal team has petitioned for a new trial.

Freeman and Moss are among several parties awaiting restitution from the former mayor. Giuliani also owes financial compensation to Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, and previous attorneys who sued him for unpaid legal fees.