Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani appeared in court on Friday for a contempt hearing related to a $148 million judgment against him in a defamation case involving two Georgia election workers. The judgment was awarded after Giuliani falsely accused the workers of tampering with ballots during the 2020 presidential election.
Judge Lewis J. Liman presided over the hearing, where Giuliani's failure to comply with an October order to surrender assets was under scrutiny. Despite initially requesting to appear remotely, Giuliani ultimately attended the hearing in person after being informed that a remote appearance could limit his options.
Giuliani has turned over some assets, including a Mercedes-Benz and his New York apartment, but has not provided the necessary paperwork to monetize these assets. Additionally, he has not surrendered valuable items such as watches, sports memorabilia, and cash from nonexempt accounts.
Judge Liman warned that Giuliani could face civil sanctions for his noncompliance, potentially jeopardizing his Florida residence. A trial to determine the fate of Giuliani's Palm Beach condominium and World Series rings is scheduled for mid-January.
Giuliani contends that the Palm Beach property is his personal residence and should be exempt from the judgment. His legal team remains optimistic that he will prevail in retaining ownership of the disputed items through the appeals process.
