Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani leaves the New York Federal Courthouse in New York City on November 7, 2024. Giuliani appeared in a New York City courtroom after missing the deadline to turn over assets as part of a $148 million defamation judgment. (Fol
NEW YORK – Lawyers representing Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City and ally of former President Donald Trump, filed a motion Wednesday to withdraw from its defense in a high-profile $148 million defamation case in federal court. Giuliani is facing a civil lawsuit from Georgian election workers Ruby Freeman and Wandrea’ Moss, who claim Giuliani defamed them with false claims about the 2020 presidential election.
Kenneth Caruso, Giuliani’s lead attorney of Kenneth Caruso Law LLC, had filed the motion Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, citing several reasons for seeking withdrawal. The motion, co-filed on behalf of co-counsel David Labkowski of Labkowski Law PA, states that the attorneys can no longer continue the representation due to “a fundamental disagreement” with Giuliani over trial strategy, as well as his inability to cooperate. they say representation has become “unreasonably difficult.”
The filing specifically references a New York Professional Rule that allows attorneys to withdraw when there is a fundamental disagreement with the client, an unwillingness by the client to make legally justifiable arguments, or a lack of cooperation.
Judge Lewis J. Liman ordered Giuliani to turn over the assets last week, including his $5 million Upper East Side apartment, a 1980 Mercedes once owned by movie star Lauren Bacall, a jersey signed by New York Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio, dozens of luxury watches and other valuables.
Lawyers for Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, say Giuliani largely dodged the transfer of assets before the Oct. 29 deadline, claiming they visited and found his Manhattan apartment it had been cleared weeks earlier. The court then extended the deadline to November 15.
Giuliani was found liable for defamation for falsely accusing Freeman and Moss of voter fraud when he raised Trump’s baseless allegations of election fraud during the 2020 campaign.
The women said they received death threats after Giuliani accused the two of sneaking in ballots in suitcases, counting the ballots multiple times and tampering with voting machines.
A forfeiture trial was scheduled for January 16, 2025 in the case.
Caruso and Labkowski’s request does not seek reimbursement of fees, but requests relief from the obligation to provide the plaintiffs with a copy of the request, given the sensitivity of the matter.
The court has yet to decide on the request.
The source: FOX 5 Atlanta bases this story on documents filed in federal court by Rudy Giulianni’s attorneys on Wednesday. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also drawn upon and links can be found within the article to access those stories to provide a better background on the case. This story is reported from Atlanta.