Rudy Giuliani, the embattled former New York City mayor and one-time personal attorney to Donald Trump, faced tense moments in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday as he sparred with U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman over his failure to comply with court-ordered asset transfers. Giuliani owes $148 million in damages to two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, who successfully sued him for defamation after he falsely accused them of voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election.
Central to the heated exchange was Giuliani's inability to produce the title to his 1980 Mercedes convertible, one of the assets he was ordered to surrender. Judge Liman expressed skepticism over the delay, remarking, "The car without the keys and title is meaningless."
Giuliani, visibly agitated, retorted, "I have applied for the title. I haven't gotten it yet. What am I supposed to do, make it up myself?" He also denied allegations of negligence, adding, "The implication I've been not diligent about it is totally incorrect."
The former mayor painted a bleak picture of his financial circumstances, telling the court, "Everything I have is tied up. I don't have a car. I don't have a credit card. I don't have cash. I can't get to bank accounts that truly would be mine because they have put stop orders on, for example, my Social Security account, which they have no right to do."
Judge Liman warned Giuliani against further outbursts, stating, "He's not going to be permitted to speak and the court will take action." The judge emphasized that Giuliani must either let his attorneys represent him or formally represent himself. "You can't have hybrid representation," Liman said. He added that if Giuliani wished to address the court again, he would need to do so as a sworn witness.
The courtroom confrontation came during a pretrial hearing ahead of a scheduled Jan. 16 trial. Giuliani's attorney, Joseph M. Cammarata, requested a delay, citing his client's involvement in President-elect Donald Trump's upcoming inauguration on Jan. 20. "My client regularly consults and deals directly with President-elect Trump on issues that are taking place as the incoming administration is afoot as well as [the] inauguration," Cammarata argued.
Judge Liman denied the request, declaring that Giuliani's "social calendar" was not sufficient grounds to postpone the trial. The trial will determine the fate of assets Giuliani is attempting to shield, including his Florida residence and World Series rings.
Giuliani, who once served as Trump's personal attorney, was found liable last year for defaming Freeman and Moss by falsely accusing them of sneaking ballots in suitcases, tampering with voting machines, and counting votes multiple times. The allegations, which Giuliani has since admitted were false, led to death threats and harassment of the two women.
Further complicating Giuliani's legal woes, two of his attorneys, Kenneth Caruso and David Labkowski, were allowed to withdraw from the case earlier in the day, citing "professional ethics" concerns. Giuliani was left to rely on Cammarata, his remaining attorney.
Judge Liman previously ordered Giuliani to surrender the title to his car and other assets by Dec. 13 or face penalties, including potential jail time. The judge expressed frustration with the delays, particularly given Giuliani's background as a former U.S. attorney. "Your client was the U.S. attorney for this district," Liman pointed out. "It's hard to believe he cannot obtain a duplicate title for the car."
Beyond the defamation case, Giuliani faces additional lawsuits and investigations, including potential disbarment and probes into his involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
