Rudy Giuliani has said he does not want to create a “media frenzy” by collecting $2 million of unpaid legal fees from former President Donald Trump‘s 2020 campaign before the presidential election, according to a Tuesday filing.
The Manhattan federal court is considering which of the former New York City mayor’s assets he should sell to pay the $148 million he owes two Georgia election workers he wrongly accused of trying to rig the 2020 presidential election against Trump.
Giuliani has asked a federal court to delay enforcement until after the election so that it doesn’t give the false impression that he is trying to sue Trump before the election.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani takes the stage at a Donald Trump campaign rally at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on September 18, 2024 in Uniondale, New York. Giuliani has asked a court not to force him to collect $2 million from Trump before the presidential election.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Giuliani is concerned that the two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Shaye Moss, may try to collect from Trump before the election as a political act, according to the filing.
“The Court, in its discretion, should postpone a turnover of this claim until November 6, 2024, the day after Election Day.”
“Otherwise, Plaintiffs will or may use this assignment for an improper, political (or, at least, collateral) purpose, creating the confusing, and inaccurate, appearance that Defendant is now somehow suing candidate Trump, thereby generating an accompanying, and unnecessary, media frenzy.”
“Plainly, the value of this claim will not depreciate between now and November 6, 2024,” the filing states.
According to Giuliani’s previous court filings, the Trump campaign owes him the $2 million for legal advice in 2020.
It was while acting as Trump’s attorney that Giuliani wrongly claimed that Freeman and Moss could be seen on CCTV adding ballots for Joe Biden at an Atlanta count center.
They sued for defamation and a Washington, D.C., jury awarded them $148 million in December 2023.
They are now seeking to claim that money from Giuliani.
Newsweek sought email comment from Freeman and Moss’ attorney on Wednesday.
In Tuesday’s filing, lawyer Kenneth Caruso stated that Giuliani did not want some of his personal property to be sold off to pay Moss and Freeman.
“Plaintiffs identify, for example, a great many wristwatches. Plaintiffs’ list, however, includes, for example, a watch gifted to Defendant by the President of France, for Defendant’s unprecedented public service response to the 9/11 attacks. The list also includes a watch similarly gifted to Defendant by the President of Italy,” the filing states.
“Some of the property can be characterized as ‘collectibles.’ This sub-category includes, for example, sports memorabilia, as well as a 1980 Mercedes automobile, previously owned by Lauren Bacall,” the filing states.
“Again, Defendant asks the Court to couple a turnover/receivership order with an order that a receiver hold the property at issue, but not sell it until after the D.C. Circuit rules on Defendant’s expedited appeal,” it adds.
