Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York and former trusted attorney for Donald Trump, must pay more than $148 million in damages to two former election workers in Georgia who he defamed on false charges that they helped rig the 2020 election to Donald Trump’s detriment. decision of the jury in Washington on Friday, reports Reuters.

A jury in federal court in Washington found that Giuliani owes two women, Vandrea “Shay” Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman, $73 million in damages for the “emotional and reputational damage” he caused, and $75 million in punitive damages. for his behavior (punitive damages).

“Today is a good day. A jury saw what Rudy Giuliani did to me and my daughter and held him accountable,” Freeman told reporters outside the courthouse, adding that “others must be held accountable.”

Before the trial, a federal judge ruled that Giuliani should be held liable for defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy. The only question before the jury was how much Giuliani should pay. He helped former Republican President Trump promote his false claims that the 2020 election was rigged. The jury deliberated for more than 10 hours before reaching its decision.

Giuliani will appeal the decision

Giuliani said he would appeal. “The absurdity of the sums only emphasizes the absurdity of the entire procedure,” he said.

The verdict came after three days of testimony in which Moss and Freeman, two black women, recounted a series of racist and sexist messages, including threats of lynching, that they received after Trump and his allies spread false claims that they involved in electoral fraud. .

“Mr. Giuliani thought he could paint Ruby and Shay as election fraud because he saw them as trivial and dispensable,” Michael Gottlieb, a lawyer for the two women, said during closing arguments. “He has no right to suggest defenseless civil servants to a virtual crowd to cancel the elections,” he added.

Joseph Sibley, Giuliani’s lawyer, acknowledged that his client had caused harm, but said the fine the plaintiffs are seeking – at least $48 million – would be “catastrophic” for his client. He told jurors that Giuliani was a “good man,” referring to his role as mayor of New York after the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the Twin Towers. “Rudy Giuliani should not be defined by what has happened recently,” Sibley said during his closing remarks.

What started the matter?

Giuliani has repeatedly made false claims that surveillance video shows Moss and Freeman hiding and counting bags filled with illegal ballots at an Atlanta basketball arena used to process votes during the 2020 election.

The former mayor, who said he would testify during the trial, ultimately chose not to speak.

He said after the trial that what he said had “no relation” to the threats the two women had received.

Trump also nominated Freeman in a publicized January 2021 phone call in which he pressed Georgia Chief Election Officer Brad Raffensperger to “find” the votes to overturn his loss in the state.

An investigation launched by the state of Georgia found that the women processed the ballots legally and correctly. Lawyers for the two women argued that the claims were part of a conspiracy involving Trump, his legal team and the right-wing media to help Trump cast doubt on the election and overturn his loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Giuliani has faced a series of civil and criminal lawsuits — and mounting legal fees — since helping Trump in his bid to overturn the election. Giuliani was indicted in a Georgia racketeering case against Trump and several of his allies, in part because he targeted Moss and Freeman. He pleaded not guilty. (Source: News.ro)