Judge warns Giuliani headed for danger in upcoming contempt hearing: report
Ahead of a contempt hearing for ex-Donald Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani next week, presiding Judge Lewis J. Liman of Manhattan is warning of more trouble for the former New York mayor.
Former Georgia poll workers, Ruby Freeman, and her daughter, Wandrea "Shaye" Moss, are still waiting to retrieve their $148 million defamation payment from Giuliani, which puts the former federal prosecutor's Palm Beach, Florida residence in danger.
Giuliani contends that the Sunshine State property is "his personal residence now and should be shielded from the judgment," according to The Associated Press.
READ MORE: Judge rips Giuliani's 'farcical' excuses for not turning over valuables in defamation case
In an order Liman issued on Friday, AP reports the Southern District of New York judge slammed "what he described as attempts by Giuliani and his lawyer to dodge providing information to the election workers’ lawyers."
This comes after Liman scolded Giuliani in court last month over the former MAGA lawyer's excuses for not having valuable assets available in his Manhattan apartment that he's expected to surrender to satisfy Freeman and Moss' award.
When the mother-daughter duo visited the New York apartment last month, they "discovered it had been cleared out weeks earlier," which the ex-mayor denied.
"He is under an unqualified obligation to deliver all of the receivership property to the receiver," Liman said. "If he doesn't comply, I'm sure I'm going to get a motion for contempt," the judge emphasized, after already ordering "Giuliani to turn over the items in October," AP reports.
Giuliani told Fox 5 New York reporter Linda Schmidt that the Palm Beach "apartment was filled with belongings," and that the ex-Georgia poll workers "just lied."
After claiming that "the law says" Freeman and Moss are "not entitled to a lot of" his belongings, the former mayor added. "For example, they want my grandfather's watch, it's 150 years old. That's a bit of an heirloom. Usually you don't get those unless you're involved in a political persecution. In fact, having me here today is like a political persecution. The judge knew I couldn't come today. He's also scheduled a trial for right at the time of Donald Trump's inauguration. Gee, I wonder why he did that."
READ MORE: 'About damn time': Experts celebrate Giuliani losing law license in DC for election denial
The Associated Press' full report is available here.
