https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/30/judge-rules-giuliani-is-liable-for-defaming-georgia-election-workers-orders-sanctions-00113462

Rudy Giuliani is liable for defaming Georgia election workers, judge rules U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell ordered Giuliani to pay the two election workers punitive damages.

A federal judge ruled Wednesday that Rudy Giuliani is legally liable for defaming two Georgia election workers who became the subject of conspiracy theories related to the 2020 election that were amplified by Donald Trump in the final weeks of his presidency.

In an unsparing, 57-page ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell said Giuliani had flagrantly violated her orders to preserve and produce relevant evidence to the election workers, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, resulting in a “default” judgment against him. She also ordered him to pay Freeman and Moss “punitive” damages for failing to fulfill his obligations. A jury will determine the amount of those damages. ... Howell’s ruling is tied to Freeman and Moss’ separate lawsuit against Giuliani in federal court in Washington for defamation, civil conspiracy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Howell has now ordered the case to proceed to a trial purely to determine the amount of damages Giuliani will have to pay them. ... Howell, an appointee of President Barack Obama, said in her ruling Wednesday that she considered it possible that Giuliani concluded that dodging his obligations related to the election workers’ lawsuit made sense strategically to avoid giving fodder to prosecutors or lawyers pursuing other cases.