In a recent development, Rudy Giuliani, previously the mayor of New York City and an attorney for former President Donald Trump, has declared bankruptcy. This action comes in the wake of a court directive demanding the immediate settlement of a substantial penalty for defaming two election officials in Georgia.
The Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, made public on Thursday, indicates Giuliani’s current financial inability to cover a multitude of expenses, including extensive legal costs and outstanding tax obligations.
The court previously mandated Giuliani to compensate two women, whom he had wrongly accused of electoral misconduct during the 2020 presidential election, with a sum of $148,169,000. Giuliani, expressing his intent to challenge this decision, remarked on Friday, “The exorbitance of the amount only highlights the entirety of this case’s farcical nature, where I’ve been barred from presenting even a shred of evidence in my defense, despite possessing plenty.”
He added, “I’m utterly convinced that once this reaches a just and impartial forum, the reversal will be so swift, it’ll be dizzying. And the ridiculous amount just stipulated will actually aid in that process.”
Giuliani found himself in the midst of a legal battle for defaming Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, by alleging electoral fraud to support Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of a rigged 2020 election. This trial took place in a federal court located in Washington, D.C., last week.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell had previously granted a default judgment in favor of Freeman and Moss back in August.