Giuliani Admits to False Allegations Against Georgia Election Workers
Summary:
- Rudy Giuliani, previously a lawyer for former President Trump, concedes in a court filing to making false statements about alleged ballot tampering by election workers in the 2020 Presidential Election in Georgia.
- The acknowledgement comes in the context of a defamation lawsuit filed by election workers Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, who reported harassment resulting from the allegations.
- Giuliani argues that, despite being false, his statements were “constitutionally protected” and didn’t negatively impact the workers.
- Giuliani is currently facing several other legal battles, including a disbarment proceeding due to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Giuliani’s Admission
Rudy Giuliani, former lawyer for ex-president Donald Trump, has admitted to making false statements about the involvement of election workers in the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. These admissions were made in a court filing related to a defamation lawsuit, referring to claims made against Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss. Giuliani had accused these election workers of tampering with the vote count, allegations he now acknowledges as untrue.
His filing states, “To the extent that the statements were statements of fact and otherwise actionable, such actionable factual statements were false.” However, Giuliani has not retreated entirely, maintaining that his false statements, while not grounded in fact, were within his constitutional rights to make and did not harm Freeman and Moss.
The Defamation Lawsuit
The defamation lawsuit at the center of this controversy was filed by Freeman and Moss. They allege that they faced undue harassment as a direct result of the false claims made by Trump and Giuliani. The incorrect allegations suggested that Freeman and Moss removed ballots from suitcases and counted them after official counting had concluded in Fulton County, Georgia. However, state officials clarified that absentee ballots had been removed from standard carrier cases during the counting process, not afterward.
The psychological impact of these baseless accusations on Freeman and Moss was profound. As a result, they are seeking an unspecified amount in damages, arguing that Giuliani’s allegations have endangered their safety and inflicted severe emotional distress.
Giuliani’s Legal Position
From a legal perspective, Giuliani’s admission adds a new dimension to his defense. According to Ted Goodman, a political advisor to Giuliani, while Giuliani didn’t outright declare the allegations as false, he did not dispute it, which is an implicit admission. Goodman clarified, “This is a legal issue, not a factual issue.” His focus is on the legal implications of the case rather than the authenticity of the statements.
Future Implications
Despite the revelation of Giuliani’s false statements, Trump continues to make unsubstantiated allegations of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. This latest development adds to the complexity of Giuliani’s legal battles, including a disbarment proceeding due to his efforts to dispute the 2020 election outcome.
The Secretary of State for Georgia’s final report supported Freeman and Moss’s accounts of the night. It affirmed that their statements about the election night process, along with those of other workers present, were consistent with the actions captured on CCTV footage.
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