Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss, who were awarded $148 million in damages from Rudy Giuliani, have filed a new lawsuit seeking a permanent injunction to prevent Giuliani from making further claims about their involvement in alleged election interference in Georgia during the 2020 presidential election. The lawsuit, filed in D.C.’s U.S. District Court, aims to bar Giuliani from publicly speaking about Freeman and Moss in the future.
In addition to the permanent injunction, Freeman and Moss are seeking the costs of their attorney and court fees, along with any other relief the court deems appropriate. The filing argues that Giuliani’s statements, coupled with his refusal to agree to refrain from making such statements, indicate an intention to persist in a campaign of targeted defamation and harassment.
The filing cites interviews Giuliani gave after the damages were awarded, where he asserted that he told the truth about Freeman and Moss’s role in Georgia’s 2020 election results. The appearances mentioned in the filing include a press conference, interviews with Newsmax, and an appearance on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast.
Previously, Giuliani was sued by Freeman and Moss, who accused him of engaging in a smear campaign by repeatedly claiming they manipulated the election results. Giuliani had shared a video on social media alleging that Freeman and Moss were processing fake ballots. In August, a judge ruled that Giuliani was liable for defamation, civil conspiracy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The new lawsuit characterizes Giuliani’s conduct as “outrageous in character and extreme in degree,” beyond all possible bounds of decency, and as atrocious and intolerable in a civilized community. The plaintiffs argue that unless Giuliani is restricted from making defamatory statements, the emotional distress, overwhelming stress, anxiety, and lost earnings will persist. As of now, representatives for Freeman, Moss, and Giuliani have not responded to requests for comment.
