Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and Donald Trump’s lawyer, went on a rant in court Tuesday, telling the judge, “I can’t pay the bills!”
The sketches by courtroom artists, who create photos for use by the media when cameras are not allowed in courtrooms, such as federal courthouses, enraged Giuliani, 80, and the judge in his case, Louis Lehman. It was depicted pointing to the.
The hearing in Manhattan federal court revealed two Georgia election officials, Ruby Freeman, whom Mr. Giuliani has vilified for promoting President Trump’s lies that 2020 election fraud stole his victory over Joe Biden. The case involved a nearly $150 million judgment obtained by Mr. and Shay Moss.
Mr. Liman said Mr. Giuliani failed to comply with orders to turn over assets.
Giuliani said Tuesday: “What you are suggesting about me is wrong. I don’t have a car, I don’t have a credit card, I don’t have any cash. Everything I have is tied up and I have no money. A stop order has been placed on my business account and I am unable to pay my bill.
Giuliani’s fall was spectacular. After making a name for himself as a tough prosecutor in charge of organized crime, he served two terms as mayor, taking office on September 11, 2001, and was widely praised for his leadership after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Despite his unsuccessful 2008 presidential bid, Mr. Giuliani went on to a successful consulting and speaking career, and allied himself with Mr. Trump when the real estate mogul entered Republican politics in 2015.
Mr. Giuliani lost out on Cabinet nominations, but became Mr. Trump’s personal lawyer. That work spurred Trump’s first impeachment in 2019 for threatening Ukraine over political dirt. Mr. Giuliani then became the chief promoter of Mr. Trump’s failed attempt to overturn the 2020 election. This activity led to criminal charges, to which he pleaded not guilty, but resulted in a large libel judgment and disbarment in Washington and New York.
On Tuesday in New York, Mr. Giuliani’s lawyers told a judge that his client had turned over assets including a Mercedes-Benz sports car once owned by movie star Lauren Bacall. Lawyers for Mr. Freeman and Mr. Moss said Mr. Giuliani turned over the car, but not the ownership. Lawyers for the two women also said they had gained access to Mr. Giuliani’s $5 million Upper East Side apartment in Manhattan, but had not secured “the keys, inventory, or lease of ownership.” said.
In court, the judge told Giuliani’s lawyer, “A car without a title is meaningless…Your client is a competent person. He was the U.S. attorney for the district. The idea of not being able to apply -”
Giuliani cut him off by saying: What should I do, make it myself? Your point about me not being engaged is completely wrong. ”
He then went on a rant about financial issues.
Mr. Giuliani’s lawyers asked Mr. Liman for an extension because he had just begun the case after his previous lawyers withdrew. Lehman denied the request, saying, “You can’t start over by firing one lawyer and hiring another. He has already received multiple extensions and has missed the deadline multiple times. ”
A trial is scheduled for Jan. 16 on whether Mr. Giuliani must give Mr. Moss and Mr. Freeman his Florida home and four New York Yankees World Series commemorative rings. On Tuesday, Giuliani’s lawyers asked whether the trial could be postponed so his client could attend Trump’s inauguration as president on January 20 in Washington, D.C. Lehman answered no.
Outside court, Mr. Giuliani told reporters that Mr. Lehman “is going to rule against me.” If you’re sitting in a courtroom and you don’t understand that, you’re stupid. He also acknowledged that Lehman was nominated by Trump, but said the judge’s “record is seriously to the left of the Democratic Party…almost to the left.”
Mr. Giuliani said he did not regret disparaging Mr. Freeman and Mr. Moss.
“I regret the persecution I suffered,” he said.
