Rudy Giuliani testified Friday at a contempt hearing to decide whether he has dodged and deceived lawyers trying to recover a $148 million judgment for two Georgia election workers, lamenting the speedy deadline imposed on him to turn over information about his assets.
The former New York City mayor testified in Manhattan federal court that the two-week time frame he was given to respond to the requests “was very short,” in comparison to how long he was given to provide information in 15 to 20 other court cases he's involved in.
Judge Lewis J. Liman indicated he would not rule immediately on whether Giuliani will face civil sanctions for failing to turn over some assets.
Giuliani asked Thursday if he could appear remotely at the hearing, but he changed his mind after the judge said his options at the proceeding would be limited if he didn't show up in person.
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The lawyers claim Giuliani has displayed a “consistent pattern of willful defiance” of Liman’s October order to give up assets, after he was found liable in 2023 for defaming the poll workers by falsely accusing them of tampering with ballots during the 2020 presidential election.
They said in court papers earlier this week that he has turned over a Mercedes-Benz and his New York apartment, but not the paperwork necessary to monetize the assets. And they said he has failed to surrender valuable watches and sports memorabilia, including a signed Joe DiMaggio shirt, and not “a single dollar from his nonexempt cash accounts.”
Liman said in an order last week that Giuliani's lawyer should be ready to explain why Giuliani should not be held in contempt with resulting sanctions that could make it less likely that he gets to keep his Florida residence. A trial over the disposition of the Palm Beach condominium and World Series rings is scheduled for mid-January.
Giuliani has maintained that the Palm Beach property is his personal residence now and should be shielded from the judgment.
Giuliani’s lawyers have predicted that Giuliani will eventually win custody of the items on appeal.
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Associated Press writer Larry Neumeister contributed to this report.
