A jury handed down the whopping judgment in favor of Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, who were besieged by harassment after Rudy Giuliani falsely accused them of ballot fraud.
Rudy Giuliani must pay $148 million in damages to two former Georgia election workers whose lives were upended after the former New York City mayor falsely accused them of manipulating ballots in 2020, a federal jury determined Friday.
The eight-member panel awarded Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss about $16 million apiece for claims that Giuliani defamed them, as well as $20 million apiece for the emotional distress they experienced after Giuliani’s allegations were followed by a deluge of threats, harassment and professional consequences.
The jury of Washington, D.C., residents also determined that Giuliani must pay $75 million in “punitive” damages, a penalty intended to deter him and others from engaging in similar smear campaigns in the future.
The verdict was announced late Friday afternoon, after about 10 hours of deliberations and an unusual four-day trial in which the jury’s only task was to make damage awards, since U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell already ruled Giuliani liable due to his failure to comply with her earlier orders to turn over evidence related to the case.
It’s unclear how much of the massive judgment — if any — Freeman and Moss will ever receive.
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A few minutes later, Giuliani stood outside the courthouse and declared, “I don’t regret a damn thing.”
He called the monetary award “absurd” and said he would appeal. He denied responsibility for the threats and harassment that Freeman and Moss received, saying that he himself receives similar comments every day.
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- Discussion
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Giuliani ordered to pay $148 million for spreading lies about Georgia election workers https://t.co/3MaBF6nHuJ
— POLITICO (@politico) December 15, 2023
Everything. Trump. Touches. Dies.
It’s my rule. It has never failed to come true.
Let that be a warning to all of you still clinging to Trump. #ETTD
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) December 15, 2023
Literally all Giuliani had to do for the rest of his life was give speeches about 9/11 and being America's mayor. That was it. https://t.co/ZzXTC4wm1m
— Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) December 15, 2023
I can’t begrudge defending a parent. But the idea that it’s a sign of principle that you put “American values,” “our Constitution,” and “President Trump” as your trinity of commitments leaves me pretty cold. Also this was a jury decision, which is consonant with the first 2. https://t.co/GQ6rQZP5e4
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) December 16, 2023
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