Grand jury - Giuliani must pay 148 million US dollars
Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani must pay 148 million US dollars (just under 137 million euros) in damages for defaming two former election assistants. A jury in the US capital Washington awarded Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss the million-dollar sum on Friday, according to US media reports. Freeman and Moss, who are mother and daughter, were election 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 her had thrown away ballots for Trump and counted fake ballots for Democrat Joe Biden. Moss and her mother were targeted by Trump supporters because they appeared in a video that was circulated.
Both women received national attention last year when they testified before the congressional committee investigating the attack on the Capitol. "I don't want to go anywhere anymore. I question everything," Moss said at the time. People had threatened her and wished her dead. The two women eventually sued Giuliani for damages, accusing him of destroying their reputation and making numerous racist threats against them. The two women are black.
The final issue was the amount of compensation
A judge had already ruled in the summer that the former Trump lawyer had defamed the women. The amount of compensation was still outstanding. Giuliani did not testify in the trial, but told reporters in court that he did not regret his statements and that they were true. The jury has now awarded the two women a significantly higher sum than they had demanded. They sued for up to 43 million US dollars.
Giuliani also has other legal problems to contend with. He advised Trump during his time in office and has been charged with attempted election fraud together with the Republican in Georgia. The 79-year-old was once a respected politician in the USA. During the September 11 attacks, he was mayor of New York and chief crisis coordinator. In recent years, however, Giuliani's reputation has suffered considerably - his various appearances have caused great ridicule.
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- Despite the recent verdict, former Mayor of New York and ally of former President Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, continues to face other legal issues related to election fraud in Georgia.
- The jury's decision to award Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, two black women who were election workers in Georgia's 2020 presidential election, a significantly higher sum than they had demanded, was criticized by some regarding criminality and defamation in US media.
- Joe Biden, the current President of the USA, expressed his satisfaction with the jury's verdict, stating that it was a testimony to justice and respect for democratic values.
- Rudy Giuliani defended his statements, declaring them as truthful, despite the jury's ruling and the years-long damage he has caused to the reputations of Freeman and Moss.
- The mother-daughter duo, who had received racist threats and harassment, spoke out against the illegal tactics used in the 2020 presidential election and thanked Justice for their victory in court.
- The jury's decision has also sparked conversations about the role of women in the political landscape of the USA, particularly in the aftermath of the 2020 elections that saw record-breaking numbers of women voters.
- As a result of the verdict, the debate around defamation in the US media has gained attention, leading to demands for stricter regulation and accountability.
- New York, the city that once saw Giuliani gain respect during the September 11 attacks where he served as the chief crisis coordinator, now finds itself distanced from the controversy and damage inflicted by Giuliani's defamatory statements.
- With the jury's decision, the stage is set for potential future legal battles involving similar accusations of defamation and election-related crimes, further challenging the delicate balance of justice and democracy in the United States.
Source: www.stern.de
