Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has to pay almost $150 million in damages for defaming two former election workers, has been sued again by the two women. Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss filed a cease-and-desist lawsuit on Monday. They want to go to court to ensure that the 79-year-old is no longer allowed to defame them in the future.
Freeman and Moss, who are mother and daughter, were poll workers in the US state of Georgia in the 2020 presidential election. Giuliani, an ally of former President Donald Trump, falsely claimed after the election that aides like them threw away ballots for Trump and forged papers for would have counted the Democrat Joe Biden. Moss and her mother were targeted by Trump supporters.
The plaintiffs are now accusing Giuliani of continuing to spread the same lies for which he has already been prosecuted. His refusal to refrain from making such statements in the future made it clear that he intended to continue his targeted defamation and harassment, the lawsuit says.
Both women received national attention last year when they testified before the Congressional Committee investigating the Capitol attack. People threatened her and wished her death, Moss said. The two women ultimately sued for damages and accused Giuliani that his claims had destroyed their reputation and led to numerous threats, including racist ones, against them. The two women are black.
Giuliani did not testify in the trial, but told reporters outside the court that he did not regret his statements and that they were true. Last Friday, the jury awarded the two women a significantly higher sum than they had demanded. In total, Giuliani was sentenced to pay damages and penalties totaling more than $148 million (136 million euros). Giuliani must pay the two women around $37 million each for defamation and the psychological consequences. There is also a fine of $75 million. Giuliani has announced an appeal.
