The award far exceeds the damages they were seeking which ranged between $15.5 million and $43 million. Naturally, Giuliani will appeal the decision to reduce the penalty but that is all he can do. Last July, Giuliani admitted making false statements about Moss and Freeman. Giuliani accused the pair of engaging in election fraud while counting ballots at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta during the 2020 election. He also engaged in racial demagoguery when he asserted the two passed USB drives "as if they were vials of heroin or crack cocaine."
When the two testified in front of the January 6th Committee in June 2022, I was moved by their testimony and made the argument they should sue both Giuliani and defeated, former President Trump. After all, Trump amplified Giuliani's claims repeatedly during his infamous phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on January 2, 2021.
The question is whether Moss and Freeman will also sue Trump. In her testimony before the January 6th Committee, Freeman stated:
Do you know how it feels to have the president of the United States to target you? The president of the United States is supposed to represent every American. Not to target one. He targeted me. A proud American citizen who stood up to help Fulton County run an election in the middle of a pandemic.
During her statement following the verdict, Freeman said, "Today is not the end of the road. We still have work to do. Rudy Giuliani was not the only one who spread lies about us and others must be held accountable too. But that is tomorrow's work."
This tells me that defeated, former President Trump is tomorrow's work. Trump might have a great deal more to fear from Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss than he does from either Fani Willis or Jack Smith.
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