Rudy Giuliani recently appeared in a Manhattan federal courtroom for a hearing to determine whether he should be held in contempt for allegedly failing to comply with court orders related to the defamation case brought by two Georgia election workers. The workers, who were defamed by Giuliani, are seeking to collect the $148 million judgment awarded to them. Giuliani, who served as personal attorney to President Donald Trump, has faced accusations of willfully defying court orders to turn over personal property and provide necessary information for discovery.
The contempt hearing, held on January 3, 2025, follows a series of requests from the plaintiffs regarding Giuliani’s non-compliance. U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman, who was appointed by Trump, had previously ordered Giuliani to appear in person for the hearing. Despite Giuliani’s claims of medical issues, including knee and lung problems stemming from his time at the World Trade Center site on September 11, 2001, Judge Liman rejected his request to appear virtually. However, Giuliani was later allowed to participate virtually for the remainder of the proceedings, as he would not be questioned by the plaintiff’s attorney again.
During the hearing, Giuliani made an unusual argument when questioned about his failure to produce pre-trial discovery, particularly emails. When asked if emails were considered “communications,” Giuliani responded that they were not, claiming that emails were “more like documents.” This assertion raised eyebrows in the courtroom, as emails are typically understood to be a form of communication in legal contexts.
This hearing comes after Giuliani’s repeated failures to comply with court orders, which Judge Liman has criticized. Last week, the judge indicated that he was likely to take punitive action against Giuliani for his ongoing defiance, noting that the former U.S. attorney had filed court documents with statements that were “untrue.” Giuliani’s relationship with Judge Liman has been strained, with the former mayor accusing the judge of being biased against him. In a previous hearing, Giuliani interrupted the judge to accuse him of being “against me” and later went on a tirade, calling Liman an “activist Democrat.”
Giuliani’s legal troubles are far from over. In addition to the contempt hearing in New York, he is also scheduled to appear in federal court in Washington, D.C., where he faces a separate contempt hearing for allegedly violating an order barring him from repeating defamatory claims about the two election workers. The workers had filed a motion claiming that Giuliani continued to spread false information even after the defamation judgment was awarded to them. Giuliani had also declared bankruptcy, but the workers argue that he is still violating the court’s orders.
Giuliani’s interactions with Judge Beryl Howell, who presides over the Washington, D.C. case, have been similarly contentious. He missed a filing deadline in December and claimed that Howell’s bias made it impossible for him to find an attorney willing to represent him. Giuliani cited the judge’s handling of January 6-related cases as evidence of her alleged bias and described the legal situation as a “no-win proposition.”
Giuliani’s legal battles are set to continue, with another hearing scheduled for January 16, 2025, before Judge Liman. This hearing will address whether Giuliani must turn over his Yankees World Series rings and Florida condominium to the plaintiffs as part of the ongoing defamation case.
