During the 2023 closing arguments in Washington, D.C., attorney Von DuBose stated that Rudy Giuliani made it “dangerous” for Georgia election workers Wandrea “Shaye” Moss and Ruby Freeman following the 2020 presidential election. According to court records and reporting from outlets like CNN, the plaintiffs’ legal team emphasized the severe personal toll and security threats faced by the two election workers after Giuliani targeted them with false fraud claims.
Closing Arguments in the Defamation Lawsuit
According to CNN, attorney Von DuBose told the federal jury during closing arguments that Giuliani’s persistent, false accusations upended the lives of Freeman and Moss. DuBose argued that the defendants turned everyday public servants into targets of intense public hostility. The trial focused on determining damages after a judge previously found Giuliani liable for defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and civil conspiracy.
Impact on Georgia Election Workers
Testimony during the proceedings detailed how Moss and Freeman received a barrage of death threats, racist messages, and uninvited visitors at their homes. According to court filings covered by NPR, Moss testified that she had to change her appearance, leave her home for months, and live in constant fear for her safety. Freeman told the court that she no longer felt safe using her own name or running her small business.
Legal Precedents and Next Steps
The case represents one of several high-profile legal accountability efforts stemming from challenges to the 2020 election results in battleground states like Georgia. According to the Associated Press, federal juries possess broad discretion in awarding compensatory and punitive damages in defamation cases involving malicious falsehoods. Giuliani’s defense attorneys argued during the trial that their client’s statements were protected speech and that he did not directly cause all the harassment his accusers experienced.