According to Mediate, in a significant development in the ongoing litigation surrounding the 2020 Georgia election, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has made a surprising admission in a court filing. Giuliani, who had been at the forefront of efforts to challenge the election results in Georgia, acknowledged that he made “false” statements about Georgia election workers and no longer contests the outcome of the state’s election. This revelation came in response to a motion filed by election workers who had accused him of defamation.
The court filing coincides with reports suggesting that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is on the verge of filing racketeering charges against former President Donald Trump for his alleged involvement in attempts to overturn the election results in Georgia. These charges indicate the seriousness of the legal scrutiny faced by those who sought to challenge the legitimacy of the election.
Giuliani’s admission particularly focuses on his previous comments concerning Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, who were embroiled in a baseless conspiracy theory revolving around stolen votes at an Atlanta voting center. Giuliani’s acknowledgment that his statements were false signifies a significant turn in the defamation lawsuit, possibly aiming to mitigate further legal repercussions. The presiding judge, Howell, had previously sanctioned Giuliani and warned of additional penalties for his failure to produce required documents. The concessions made by Giuliani, as outlined in the filing, may alleviate the need for further discovery in the case.
The stipulated terms of the filing are as follows: Giuliani, while maintaining his belief in having legal defenses to the complaint, desires to avoid unnecessary expenses in the litigation process. Therefore, for the purposes of this specific legal proceeding, he does not contest several critical allegations brought against him. Firstly, Giuliani concedes that he made defamatory statements about the plaintiffs, encompassing all the statements detailed in their amended complaint. He acknowledges that he published these statements to third parties.
Moreover, Giuliani admits that, solely for the purposes of this litigation, he does not contest the factual elements of liability regarding the plaintiffs’ claims for intentional infliction of emotional distress and related tort claims, subject to any retained affirmative defenses not waived in the stipulation.
WHEREAS, Defendant Giuliani believes that he has legal defenses to this Complaint; and
WHEREAS, Defendant Giuliani is desirous to avoid unnecessary expenses in litigating what he believes to be unnecessary disputes; now
IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED, solely for the purposes of this litigation that Defendant Giuliani, for the purpose of deciding this case on the legal issues, and recognizing that all other defendants previously identified in the complaint have resolved their claims with all plaintiffs and without admitting to the truth of the allegations, hereby does not contest the following allegations:
1. Defendant Giuliani concedes solely for purposes of this litigation before this Coon and on Appeal: that Defendant Giuliani made the statements of and concerning Plaintiffs, which include all of the statements detailed in Plaintiffs Amended Complaint, ECF No. 22 at §§57-101 and he does not dispute for purposes of this litigation, that the statements carry meaning that is defamatory per se;
2. That Defendant Giuliani, for the purposes of this litigation only, published those statements to third parties;
3. That Defendant Giuliani, for the purposes of this litigation only, does not wiliest that, to the extent the statements were statements of fact and other wise actionable, such actionable factual statements were false. This stipulation does not affect Giuliani’s ability to seek setoff, offset or settlement credit, or his argument that his statements are constitutionally protected statements or opinions or any applicable statute of limitations, or that Giuliani’s statements, in fact, caused Plaintiffs any damages, and the amount of any alleged damages which Giuliani’s statements may have caused or any other legal defense not expressly waived by this Stipulation;
4. That Defendant Giuliani does not contest, solely for the purposes of this litigation, including on any appeal in this litigation, the factual elements of liability (subject to any retained affirmative defenses not expressly waived herein) regarding Plaintiffs’ claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress and other related tort claims. This stipulation does not affect Giuliani’s ability to seek setoff, offset or settlement credit, or his argument that his statements are constitutionally protected statements or opinions or any applicable statute of limitations, or that Giuliani’s conduct, in fact, caused Plaintiffs any damages, and the amount of any alleged damages Giuliani’s conduct may have caused or any other legal defense not expressly waived by this Stipulation.
However, it is vital to note that Giuliani’s concessions in this matter do not affect his ability to pursue setoff, offset, or settlement credit, nor do they impede his arguments regarding constitutionally protected statements or opinions, any applicable statute of limitations, or the causation and extent of damages claimed by the plaintiffs.
