A federal judge has declined to postpone Rudy Giuliani’s court proceedings over his assets handover to the former Georgia election workers he defamed, rejecting the disgraced lawyer’s request for a delay so that he could attend Donald Trump’s inauguration as president.
At a testy hearing in Manhattan on Tuesday, NBC News reported, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman said Giuliani’s “social calendar” was not an adequate reason to postpone the Jan. 16 trial, during which Giuliani is set to challenge Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss’ claims to some of his assets.
Giuliani’s lawyer, Joseph M. Cammarata, had argued that Giuliani consults regularly with the president-elect and has a “political right” to be at Trump’s inaugural events.
During the hearing, an irate Giuliani erupted at the judge, claiming he could not pay his bills because his assets are tied up due to Moss and Freeman’s efforts to collect on the nearly $150 million defamation judgment against him.
“The implications you are making against me are wrong,” Giuliani told Liman, who had said that Giuliani was not complying with court orders to surrender his assets. “I have no car, no credit card, no cash, everything I have is tied up. They have put stop orders on my business accounts, and I can’t pay my bills.”
The former New York City mayor has been embroiled in a battle with Freeman and Moss over his assets as part of the defamation judgment that the mother and daughter had won against him late last year. Giuliani has dragged his feet on handing over his property to the women — provoking the ire of Liman, who earlier this month ridiculed Giuliani’s claim that he did not know where his assets were.
Giuliani has since turned over some of his belongings, including a 1980 Mercedes-Benz but not its title. The women’s attorneys also have said that even though they have received access to his New York City apartment, Giuliani “still has not delivered the keys, stock, or proprietary lease,” according to a court filing. Giuliani’s Manhattan apartment is estimated to be worth more than $5 million.
Giuliani’s trial, which is scheduled to take place four days before Trump’s inauguration, will center on whether he must surrender his condo in Palm Beach, Florida, and his four World Series rings.
Giuliani’s trial will center on whether he must surrender his condo in Palm Beach, Florida, and his four World Series rings.
Giuliani is appealing both the asset turnover order and the defamation verdict itself. Meanwhile, he has continued to falsely accuse Freeman and Moss of tampering with ballots during the 2020 election, prompting them to seek further penalties. (Giuliani spokesperson Ted Goodman has said the women’s request was an effort to “deprive” Giuliani of his right to free speech.)
Outside the courtroom after Tuesday’s hearing, Giuliani again lashed out at Liman, claiming that “his background is serious left-wing Democrat” — even while acknowledging that the “left of left of left” judge had been appointed by Trump.
“Have you figured out what side he’s on? Are you too dumb to see what side he’s on?” Giuliani told reporters.
He also reiterated that he does not regret defaming Freeman and Moss.
“I do not regret it for a minute,” he said. “I regret the persecution that I’ve been put through.”
