Charges of election theft in a harassment suit that Rudy Giuliani has to pay $148 million to settle

In 2020, Rudy Giuliani wrongly accused two women of election theft. A federal court in Washington, D.C., has told him to pay them $148,169,000. Giuliani is a friend of Donald Trump and was mayor of New York City. When Giuliani was on trial for libel, he focused on Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, who worked as election workers in Georgia, and said false things about election theft. Freeman and Moss were found not guilty by U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in August. It also says that Giuliani needs to pay their lawyers’ fees, which add up to about $270,000.

Rudy Giuliani ( Photo: NBC News )

What the slander trial found

A defamation trial in a federal court in Washington, D.C., found Rudy Giuliani guilty and facing a large fine. Giuliani is a well-known part of Trump’s close group. Giuliani made false claims of election theft against Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, two election workers in Georgia, during the controversial 2020 election. This was the main focus of the hearing.

The case against Freeman and Moss was thrown out by U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in August. As well as having to pay $148,169,000 in damages, Giuliani now has to pay the two women’s lawyers’ fees, which add up to about $270,000.

Lots of bad press has been written about Giuliani because of his false claims, which are part of a bigger story of election fraud. These claims have hurt the public’s trust in him and fed unfounded conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.

READ ALSO: Rudy Giuliani ordered to pay $148 million as defamation trial wraps up

What Giuliani Did and What He Will Do Next

Rudy Giuliani said he would file an appeal after the court’s decision. He thought the amount given was ridiculous and stressed that he wasn’t given the chance to show evidence in court to back his case. Giuliani said it was important for a fair group to hear the case and kept hoping that the appeals court would change its mind.

The case against Giuliani for slander is based on the hurtful things he said about the person. These charges show that public figures can get in trouble with the law for sharing false information, especially during elections and other political processes.

The court case was meant to find out how much money Giuliani owed Freeman and Moss. This showed how really the law looks at how fake news spreads and how it impacts the people it’s supposed to help.

READ ALSO: Jury awards $148 million in damages to Georgia election workers over Rudy Giuliani’s 2020 vote lies