A federal judge in New York City held Rudy Giuliani in contempt of court on Monday for failing to adequately comply with requests for information related to a $148 million defamation judgment. The ruling followed a two-day contempt hearing stemming from a lawsuit filed by two Georgia election workers whom Giuliani falsely accused of ballot tampering during the 2020 presidential election. Judge Lewis J. Liman found Giuliani’s responses insufficient, citing a pattern of non-compliance despite a previous order mandating asset disclosure.
Giuliani’s testimony, which began Friday in Manhattan and concluded remotely from his Palm Beach condominium, revealed his justifications for incomplete asset disclosures. He claimed that numerous outstanding legal matters hampered his ability to comply fully, asserting that some requests were overly broad, inappropriate, or even “traps.” He also stated that the demands interfered significantly with his professional life, hindering his ability to function effectively approximately 30-40% of the time.
The election workers’ legal team countered that Giuliani exhibited “consistent willful defiance,” highlighting his failure to provide necessary documentation to monetize already surrendered assets, such as a Mercedes-Benz and his New York apartment. They also pointed to his failure to surrender watches, sports memorabilia—including a missing Joe DiMaggio jersey—and any funds from non-exempt cash accounts. Giuliani testified that he was actively investigating the whereabouts of the DiMaggio jersey, currently unknown to him.
During the hearing, the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Aaron Nathan, attempted to use Giuliani’s incomplete disclosures—such as withholding a list of his doctors over the past four years—to undermine Giuliani’s claim that his Palm Beach property was his primary residence and thus protected from seizure. Giuliani’s attorney, Joseph Cammarata, countered that such an inference would be akin to a “civil death penalty,” potentially resulting in the loss of the Florida property before a January trial determining its disposition, alongside World Series rings. Giuliani maintains that his Palm Beach property is his primary residence and that he expects to ultimately regain possession of all disputed assets on appeal.