According to Mediaite, CNN Senior Legal Analyst Elie Honig predicts that the two election workers, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, who were defamed by Rudy Giuliani, will be awarded “massive” damages in their defamation case against him due to what he calls a horrendous legal strategy.
A federal judge has already found Giuliani liable for defamation based on false allegations he made against the Georgia election workers, and a jury in Washington, D.C. is currently deliberating on the amount of damages Giuliani will be required to pay. Freeman and Moss were targeted by Giuliani, who promoted conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election being rigged.
During testimony, Freeman recounted the threats she received after Giuliani’s false claims, which included allegations that she and Moss rigged the election against Donald Trump using USB drives, which he claimed were passed around like cocaine and heroin. Honig, in an appearance on CNN, commented on Giuliani’s decision not to testify, stating that it was the smartest move he’s made in years.
Honig criticized Giuliani for doubling down instead of showing contrition after being found liable. He described the legal strategy as the worst ever devised by a human mind, pointing out that Giuliani’s team conceded liability, agreeing that his actions were defamatory. Rather than expressing remorse, Giuliani continued to commit more defamation during the damages trial, which, according to Honig, is asking for a massive verdict against him.
The case reflects the consequences of combining vicious defamation against innocent victims with what Honig deems an incredibly flawed legal strategy.
What do you make of Giuliani insisting all along that he was going to testify, and then just pulling out at the last minute?” she inquired.
“Well, it’s the smartest move he’s made in years,” Honig replied. “I mean, if he had taken the stand, imagine what a catastrophe that would’ve been. This man is a pathological liar. He can’t help himself.”
Rather than show contrition after being found liable, Giuliani has doubled down. Outside the courthouse on Tuesday, he insisted to reporters he “told the truth” about Freeman and Moss.
Honig added, “This case is what happens when you combine vicious, over-the-top defamation against innocent victims with the single worst legal strategy ever devised by a human mind.”
He added:
Let’s go through the way Rudy and his lawyer approached this case. First, they agreed that they were liable, that Rudy was liable. They conceded, yes, what he did was defamatory. Now, there may be a strategy there if your strategy is, we’re just gonna try to minimize damages. We’re gonna go in there, Rudy is gonna express remorse, he’s gonna say, “I got caught up in something stupid. I didn’t intend for my words to have this effect. I’m sorry. Maybe you can minimize damages.”
Instead, they go in on this damages trial and commit more defamation. They are just asking for a massive verdict and I think we’re gonna see that tomorrow.
