Rudy Giuliani, the once-prominent attorney and former mayor of New York City, has made a notable admission in a recent court filing. He conceded that he had spread false statements regarding the actions of two Georgia election workers during the 2020 election. These statements came under scrutiny in a defamation lawsuit brought against Giuliani by Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, in a federal court in Washington, D.C.
In the latest court documents, Giuliani refrained from contesting the factual allegations, although he stopped short of fully admitting to the plaintiffs’ claims. He openly acknowledged that his previous statements were defamatory and false, carrying a meaning that could harm Freeman and Moss’s reputation. However, he maintained that he believed he had strong legal defenses to counter the lawsuit and sought to avoid unnecessary litigation expenses.
At present, Giuliani’s attorney has not provided an immediate response to requests for comment on the matter. Meanwhile, Ted Goodman, an adviser to Giuliani, explained that the recent filings were a strategic move to advance the case beyond the discovery phase and proceed to legal arguments.
On the opposing side of the legal battle, Michael J. Gottlieb, the attorney representing Moss and Freeman, hailed Giuliani’s concession as a significant step forward in their quest for justice. He reiterated that the women had dutifully performed their civic duties in strict compliance with the law during the 2020 presidential election. Moreover, Gottlieb emphasized that the allegations of election fraud made against them by Giuliani and former President Trump had been demonstrably false from the outset. While certain aspects of the case remain to be decided by the court, the plaintiffs are eagerly looking forward to presenting the remaining evidence at the trial.
Giuliani had previously promoted a video that purportedly showed Freeman and Moss mishandling ballots while working at the State Farm Arena for the Fulton County Board of Elections during the 2020 election. Following Trump’s election defeat, he had also accused the women of being involved in changing the election’s outcome.
In parallel to these developments, ex-President Trump himself is facing a criminal investigation in Fulton County, Georgia, regarding his and his allies’ attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. The investigation stemmed from a leaked phone call between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, during which Trump mentioned Freeman 18 times and persistently pushed for the election results to be overturned.
The dissemination of false accusations and conspiracy theories by Trump and his allies has had severe repercussions for Moss and Freeman. Both women have endured racist death threats, forcing them to go into hiding. Moss, who had been a dedicated employee of the Fulton County Elections Department since 2017, was left with no choice but to resign from her job due to the distressing threats.
Among the unfounded claims made by Giuliani was his assertion that Moss handed her mother a thumb drive “like they were vials of heroin or cocaine.” However, Moss herself testified before Congress that her mother had simply given her a ginger mint.
As the legal proceedings continue, Moss and Freeman remain hopeful that the trial will provide them with the opportunity to seek justice and clear their names from the damaging and false allegations that have plagued their lives.
