Aiexpress – Former New York City mayor, Rudy Giuliani, received approval on Friday from a New York bankruptcy court to proceed with a new trial regarding the $148 million in damages he was ordered to pay for defaming two Georgia poll workers.
Rudy Giuliani has been mandated to pay a staggering $148 million as compensation for defaming two Georgia poll workers, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss. The defamation case was centered around Giuliani’s unfounded allegations that the two workers colluded to manipulate the 2020 election, resulting in harassment and harm. The unanimous decision by the jury not only awarded $148 million in damages, but also included $75 million in punitive damages as a deterrent against future misconduct.
The court took up the case when Giuliani declined to preserve and hand over crucial evidence, which ultimately resulted in a default judgment against him in August. The plaintiffs raised concerns regarding Giuliani’s mounting debts and potential insolvency, fearing that he could evade making payments. Consequently, they sought a court order to halt him from disseminating additional false claims and to take action on his assets before they could be depleted.
Attorney Richard DiTomaso, Esq., highlights that it is customary for a victorious party to seek court involvement in order to safeguard the assets of the losing party.
On Friday, a decision was made following a two-hour Zoom hearing, where a U.S. bankruptcy judge granted Giuliani limited permission to challenge the defamation verdict. Giuliani’s attorney informed the judge that the former mayor does not have the necessary funds to pay the $148 million debt, and the judge agreed to this procedural step with certain conditions.
Giuliani’s creditors have raised concerns about him potentially exploiting the bankruptcy process. The expenses, costs, and delays associated with the filing are legitimate sources of worry. A wide range of creditors, such as election workers, a supermarket employee, elections technology companies, and a woman who claims Giuliani coerced her into sex, have come together as a diverse coalition in response to the bankruptcy.
Giuliani’s legal problems extend to criminal cases linked to election interference, with him facing the highest number of criminal charges among his co-defendants. Surprisingly, Giuliani is entangled in eleven court cases, leaving his legal future very uncertain.
