This move follows a recent jury decision that mandated Giuliani to pay $148.1 million in damages to two former Georgia election workers. The workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, were wrongly accused by Giuliani of involvement in rigging the 2020 presidential election.
Once lauded as “America’s mayor” for his leadership during the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Giuliani’s reputation and financial standing have suffered a significant decline in recent years. This decline can be attributed to his vigorous support of Donald Trump’s unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud.
In Giuliani’s bankruptcy petition submitted to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, he disclosed assets totaling $10.4 million and liabilities amounting to $152.3 million. This includes the $148.1 million judgment against him and $4.2 million in outstanding legal fees.
It is essential to note that Giuliani’s bankruptcy filing is unlikely to exempt him from fulfilling the damages owed to Freeman and Moss. These two election officials from Fulton County, Georgia, sued Giuliani for defamation due to his persistent targeting of them in media appearances and social media posts, falsely implicating them in a scheme to manipulate ballots and tip the state in favor of Biden.
The recent federal jury decision in Washington, D.C., awarded Freeman and Moss a total of $148.1 million in compensatory and punitive damages, in addition to nearly $275,000 in legal fees. This ruling stands out as one of the most significant efforts to hold individuals accountable for their attempts to undermine the 2020 election.
Despite the unfavorable verdict, Giuliani dismissed it as “absurd” and expressed his intention to appeal, emphasizing that the exaggerated monetary penalty only underscores the perceived absurdity of the entire legal process. He reiterated his claims of election fraud, asserting his steadfast commitment even at the potential cost of personal financial ruin or legal consequences.
In response to the jury’s decision, Freeman and Moss welcomed the accountability and expressed hope that it would serve as a deterrent against the spread of false information about them and the election. They highlighted the profound negative impact Giuliani’s baseless accusations had on every aspect of their lives, causing significant emotional distress. Freeman expressed gratitude for the jury’s stance, describing it as a positive outcome in holding Giuliani responsible for his actions.
