A non-jury civil trial unfolded to determine whether Rudy Giuliani must relinquish his Florida condominium and other assets to former Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Shaye Moss. This legal battle follows a 2023 ruling requiring Giuliani to pay $148.1 million to Freeman and Moss for falsely accusing them of attempting to steal the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. A federal judge in New York was scheduled to address whether Giuliani must also hand over his Palm Beach condo, which he claims as his permanent residence. However, his absence from court led to a delay in proceedings.
In recent developments, Giuliani, the former New York City mayor, has faced disbarment in New York and Washington DC. He has twice been found in contempt of court for violating orders that aimed to prevent him from defaming Freeman and Moss. Ted Goodman, Giuliani's attorney, criticized the contempt ruling, asserting it was an attempt to silence his client.
"This is an important point that many Americans still don’t realize due to biased coverage and a campaign to silence Mayor Giuliani. This contempt ruling is designed to prevent Mayor Giuliani from exercising his constitutional rights." – Ted Goodman
Giuliani has admitted that he did not always comply with requests for information, claiming they were a "trap" set by opposing lawyers. Despite these challenges, he stated that he retained his New York co-op and Florida condo along with all personal belongings. Additionally, he turned over several possessions, including multiple watches and a 1980 Mercedes-Benz SL 500 once owned by Lauren Bacall, to Freeman and Moss.
The trial also considered whether Giuliani must surrender three New York Yankees World Series rings to the two women. Judge Lewis Liman ordered that Giuliani's son Andrew must safeguard the rings as proceedings continue.
"The point was to ensure the security of the rings," – Judge Lewis Liman
Freeman and Moss recounted their distressing experiences resulting from Giuliani's false accusations. Freeman expressed how monetary compensation could not fully address the damage caused by the defamation.
"I want people to understand this: money will never solve all of my problems. I can never move back to the house I called home. I will always have to be careful about where I go, and who I choose to share my name with … I miss my home, I miss my neighbors, and I miss my name." – Freeman
Despite the trial's complexities, Giuliani maintained a stance of non-admission regarding liability or wrongdoing.
"This resolution does not involve an admission of liability or wrongdoing by any of the parties. I am satisfied with and have no grievances relating to the result we have reached," – Rudy Giuliani
He further emphasized the toll the litigation has taken on all parties involved and urged an end to defamatory remarks.
"I have been able to retain my New York co-op and Florida condominium and all of my personal belongings. No one deserves to be subjected to threats, harassment, or intimidation. This litigation has taken its toll on all parties. This whole episode was unfortunate. I and the plaintiffs have agreed not to ever talk about each other in any defamatory manner, and I urge others to do the same." – Rudy Giuliani