U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell has made the decision to punish Rudy Giuliani for “continued and flagrant disregard” of court orders.
A Severe Response
The judge’s ruling was five pages long and made it incredibly clear that Giuliani’s actions, such as intentionally concealing financial documents, warranted a severe response. Jurors will be informed of the former mayor’s efforts to withhold the aforementioned documents, which relate to both his personal and business finances.
Judge Howell’s Words
Judge Howell said: “The jury will be instructed that it must, when determining an appropriate sum of compensatory, presumed, and punitive damages, infer that defendant Giuliani was intentionally trying to hide relevant discovery about the finances for the purpose of shielding his assets from discovery and artificially deflating his net worth.”
A Highly Significant Development
Further, Giuliani and his legal team are banned from presenting any claims suggesting his financial insolvency, bankruptcy, or inability to mount a defense This new development is highly significant as the restrictions imposed on the former mayor’s defense strategy are immense.
Rules and Court Orders
This is the second time in two months that Judge Beryl Howell has rebuked Giuliani for his attitude regarding rules and court orders. The lawsuit in question is in relation to a defamation case initiated by Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss.
Election Fraud in Georgia
Giuliani used to be Donald Trump’s lawyer and, during that time, he made false claims about the 2020 election. As part of those assertions, he alleged election fraud in Fulton County, Georgia – which is where Freeman and Moss come in. The ex-mayor’s allegations were found to be false.
Defaming the Election Workers
Judge Howell, in the summer, ruled that Giuliani was liable for defaming the election workers. She went on to schedule a damages trial for the winter and ordered the ex-mayor to hand over financial documents to the plaintiffs’ lawyers.
Failing to File Any Response
Giuliani responded with silence and inaction. According to Freeman’s attorneys, he “failed to take any of the actions” ordered. Regarding the matter, Judge Howell said: “Consistent with his prior track record in this matter, Giuliani failed to file any response.”
Problems for Giuliani
On top of this lawsuit, and along with fellow defendant Donald Trump, Giuliani is facing criminal charges in Georgia. Moreover, his former lawyers have alleged that he owes them over $1 million in legal fees and he apparently owes the IRS over $500,000 in federal taxes.
The Internet’s Response
News of Judge Beryl Howell’s latest decision was shared across the internet and most people were very critical of the former New York City mayor. One social media commenter said: “What happened to [Giuliani]? He was a hero for a while. Then Trump entered the picture and he became a complete fool.”
The Importance of Appropriate Compensation
Another person wrote: “There needs to be a financial monitor and a forensic accountant assigned to this case to make sure Giuliani isn’t doing anything shady to hide his assets. These ladies deserve appropriate compensation for the pain he and the rest of Trump’s henchmen have caused them.”
Above the Law
Others compared the former mayor to Trump in how he seemingly believes he’s above the law: “Giuliani is hiding money in a vain attempt to try not to pay for his crimes. He’s no different than Trump. He considers himself above our country’s laws.”
Just Like Trump
Plenty of people agreed with the previously mentioned commenter. “Rudy is just like Trump, believing he is above the law and emboldened to disregard and disrespect the rule of law that he knows all too well,” another individual said.
The Land of the Free
The commenter continued: “Any other U.S. citizen would have been fined and jailed, no questions asked! This is what the justice system is like in America. Only the land of the free for certain people but never for all!”
A Complete Scam
Another commenter said: “So if Rudy is not bankrupt, was the fundraising dinner for $100,000 a plate, sponsored by Trump, a complete scam? There needs to be an audit of the funds that were produced and what happened to that money – every dollar of it!”
A Call for Prison
Plenty of people called for Giuliani to be incarcerated. “Why isn’t he in jail right beside Trump and his children along with all the other freaks that disregard our Constitution and try to wipe our votes off the grid? My vote counts and I will not stand for these freaks who say it does not,” one person wrote.
Different Rules for the Rich
Echoing the aforementioned commenter, another individual said: “Why hasn’t he been arrested for this? If it had been someone who was not known, they would be in jail in the blink of an eye. It’s clear the judge is granting him privileges not for everyone!”
Giuliani Falling Further
Another person wrote: “When I think Rudy can fall no further, he does something to make me wonder if he ever went to law school and had a law license. Trump’s train conductors are starting to fall on the tracks.”
The Trump Train
Using a similar metaphor to the aforementioned individual, another commenter said: “Rudy got on the wrong track by boarding the Trump train and thinking he could pull the same garbage. I actually fear Rudy not having the stamina to endure what is coming for him in the courts.”
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