Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and attorney for Donald Trump, is set to return to court in Washington, D.C., where a federal judge will determine if he should be held in contempt for allegedly continuing to spread false claims about two Georgia election workers, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman. This significant legal matter arises after a jury awarded the two women a whopping $148 million in damages for defamation, with Freeman and Moss asserting that Giuliani's baseless accusations have severely disrupted their lives, leading to harassment and threats against them (AP News).

The federal judge, Beryl Howell, will entertain arguments on Friday that Giuliani has violated a previous court order by making continued defamatory claims about the two women. The plaintiffs are requesting civil contempt sanctions against him, citing *persistent fabrications* regarding alleged election fraud. In their court filings, they assert, “Mr. Giuliani started lying about Plaintiffs in December of 2020 and refused to stop after repeatedly being told that his election-rigging conspiracy theory about Plaintiffs was baseless, malicious, and dangerous.”

Despite his ongoing health issues, which he recently outlined as being 80 years old with multiple medical conditions, Giuliani has pledged to attend the hearing in person. His health-related concerns, which include severe knee, heart, and lung conditions, led his lawyers to argue that he encounters credible death threats that complicate his travel plans (HuffPost). Previously, Giuliani expressed a desire for the court to permit him to appear remotely but eventually decided to withdraw that request.

The defamation suit stems from Giuliani’s allegations made in late 2020, wherein he suggested that the plaintiffs tampered with election processes to benefit Joe Biden, the Democratic candidate in the 2020 election. The verdict was a major blow, with the jury awarding the plaintiffs $75 million in punitive damages, alongside around $73 million in additional damages (HuffPost). Giuliani's legal team contends that there is insufficient evidence for holding him in contempt and claims he acted with a good faith belief that his statements did not breach any judgments.

On a parallel track, Giuliani faced contempt proceedings in New York for allegedly failing to provide key evidence, prompting U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman to find him in contempt earlier in the week regarding the assets owed to Freeman and Moss. Amidst these legal turmoil and accusations, Moss and Freeman have highlighted the psychological toll the situation has taken on them, with Freeman stating, “I can never move back into the house that I call home... I’m always careful about where I go.”

As this legal saga unfolds, the spotlight remains on Giuliani’s courtroom battles and the implications of his continued claims regarding the 2020 election, setting the stage for a potentially pivotal ruling next as Judge Howell decides on the contempt charge.