A federal judge in Washington, D.C., swiftly rejected Rudy Giuliani’s request for a filing extension related to contempt charges, marking another setback for the former New York City mayor. The contempt motion, filed by Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Wandrea ArShaye “Shaye” Moss, stems from Giuliani’s continued defamation of the two women after they were awarded a $148 million judgment against him. This legal battle began after Giuliani spread false claims about their involvement in the 2020 election, and despite an injunction barring him from making such statements, he allegedly violated it.
On December 4, Giuliani filed a one-page letter to U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell, requesting a 30-day extension to respond to the contempt motion. He argued that, as he was representing himself, he needed more time to secure legal counsel. Giuliani claimed that four attorneys he had contacted refused to represent him, citing Howell’s conduct as the primary reason. He said the attorneys believed Howell was biased, particularly in cases related to Donald Trump, and considered defending him in the contempt matter a “no-win proposition.”
Giuliani’s letter also indicated that his inability to find representation was compounded by the Thanksgiving holiday. In his request, he argued that he needed additional time to present a full response to the contempt motion, which alleges that he continued to defame Freeman and Moss after the court had issued a permanent injunction against him. The motion for contempt was filed after Giuliani made further defamatory statements on his podcast in November, where he reiterated false claims about the women’s involvement in vote manipulation.
Freeman and Moss, who have already been awarded a significant defamation judgment, claimed that Giuliani’s actions were not only a violation of the injunction but that they were also part of a broader pattern of spreading misinformation about the 2020 election. They provided evidence that Giuliani’s claims about the women, such as accusing them of “quadruple counting votes” and passing hard drives to “fix” voting machines, were identical to statements he had made previously.
Giuliani, in his letter, requested an additional three weeks to prepare his response, arguing that the comments referenced in the contempt motion were made to defend himself and were related to judicial proceedings, not intended to defame the plaintiffs. However, his request was swiftly denied by Judge Howell, who pointed out that even pro se defendants, or those representing themselves, must adhere to procedural rules. She reminded Giuliani that he had previously been a practicing attorney and held significant government legal positions, implying that he was well aware of the legal requirements and expectations.
In her ruling, Howell also referenced her earlier warning to Giuliani that failing to respond to the contempt motion could be interpreted as conceding to it. Following her rejection of the extension request, she issued a new order giving Giuliani until Friday afternoon to explain why the contempt motion should not be granted by default. Giuliani is scheduled to appear in court on December 12 to address the motion in person.
