Enlarge image
Rudy Giuliani (here in New York in August): False claims about the election
Photo: Seth Wenig / AP
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is ordered to pay just over $148 million in damages for defaming two former election workers, has filed for bankruptcy. This is according to a court document published on Thursday.
The 79-year-old former ally of former President Donald Trump was ordered to pay damages last week for falsely claiming after the 2020 presidential election that aides had thrown away ballots for Trump and counted fake ballots for Democrat Joe Biden.
The lawsuit was filed by the two election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss in the state of Georgia, who are mother and daughter. Both women received national attention last year when they testified before the congressional committee investigating the attack on the Capitol.
People had threatened her, wished her dead, Moss described. The two women, who are black, accused Giuliani that his claims had destroyed their reputation and led to numerous threats against them, including racist threats. A jury in Washington ruled in their favour.
Renewed lawsuit
A few days ago, the two women sued Giuliani again. Freeman and Moss filed an injunction on Monday. They want to go to court to ensure that the 79-year-old is no longer allowed to slander them in the future. The plaintiffs accuse Giuliani of continuing to spread the same lies for which he has already been prosecuted. A government investigation had revealed that the two women had processed the ballots legally and properly.
aeh/dpa