Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City Mayor and one-time personal attorney to Donald Trump, is pushing for a delay in his upcoming defamation trial involving two Georgia election workers, citing plans to attend Trump's inauguration. The trial, which is scheduled to begin on January 16, 2025, falls just four days before the January 20 inauguration. Giuliani's legal team has requested that the trial be postponed until at least January 22 to accommodate his involvement in the presidential inauguration events.
Joseph Cammarata, who recently assumed the role of Giuliani's attorney after his previous legal team stepped down, argued in court filings that a brief delay would not harm the plaintiffs, stating, "There would be no harm to the plaintiffs by a delay of a few days in the trial schedule." Cammarata further noted that there were other available dates for the court proceedings. The judge has scheduled a hearing for November 26 to address the request.
At the center of the trial is Giuliani's $150 million defamation judgment owed to Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, two Georgia election workers whom he falsely accused of manipulating the 2020 election results in favor of Joe Biden. This claim, which has been debunked, played a key role in fueling Trump's baseless allegations of election fraud. Despite being disbarred and facing financial troubles, Giuliani has resisted fully complying with the court's ruling, turning over limited assets, including a 1980 Mercedes-Benz, luxury watches, and a diamond ring.
Freeman and Moss's attorney, Aaron Nathan, strongly opposed the request to delay the trial. In a letter to the court, Nathan pushed back against Cammarata's argument, stating that any delay would hinder the enforcement of justice. "The implication that a few days' delay would cause 'no harm' is unfounded," Nathan wrote, emphasizing that Giuliani's attendance at inauguration events should not interfere with the legal proceedings.
Giuliani, who served as Trump's personal lawyer during his first term and led efforts to challenge the 2020 election results, has remained a close ally of the former president. Both Giuliani and Trump have pleaded not guilty in a separate Georgia case involving alleged efforts to overturn the election. Giuliani's financial difficulties have been well-documented, with a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing that was later dismissed. As a result, Freeman and Moss have been authorized to seize his assets to satisfy the judgment.
Giuliani's legal team has contested the seizure of certain items, arguing that some are protected under state laws in New York and Florida. Among the contested assets is his 1980 Mercedes-Benz, which Giuliani initially valued at $25,000. Recent appraisals, however, suggest the car may be worth closer to $30,000. Cammarata contended that the vehicle's turnover without a proper appraisal violated Giuliani's legal rights, stating, "Ordering the vehicle to be turned over... without any appraisal has taken away Defendant's statutory and constitutional rights."
