On Tuesday, Rudy Giuliani encountered a sharp rebuke from a federal judge when he disrupted a court hearing to express his inability to pay bills, attributing his financial troubles to the fact that two Georgia election workers have frozen his assets following a substantial jury verdict against him. The former New York City mayor, who served as a personal attorney for Donald Trump, is preparing for a trial set for January to assess which of his possessions he must relinquish to Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea Moss.

Freeman and Moss received a $148-million judgment from a jury in Washington after alleging that Giuliani had damaged their reputations by making false claims about their involvement in a scheme to rig the 2020 presidential election in favor of Trump. The presiding U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman previously cautioned Giuliani about the possibility of civil contempt due to his failure to transfer certain assets, notably a luxury apartment in Manhattan, to mitigate the financial obligation.

Giuliani’s attorney, Joseph Cammarata, argued that his client has already relinquished 90% of the required assets. However, Judge Liman challenged Giuliani’s difficulty in procuring documents related to his 1980 Mercedes, remarking that Giuliani’s extensive experience as the lead federal prosecutor in Manhattan implies his capability to manage such tasks adequately.

Feeling the sting of criticism, the 80-year-old Giuliani interjected, asserting that his daily activities have been severely impacted due to the situation instigated by the election workers. He insisted, “The suggestion that I have been negligent in this matter is entirely unfounded,” while elaborating on his lack of access to a car, a credit card, or cash, claiming that he is unable to settle his financial obligations.

In response, Judge Liman instructed Giuliani to refrain from speaking unless under oath, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the court's directives. The coming trial on January 16 will examine the potential surrender of additional properties, including some based in Florida and various pieces of sports memorabilia. Furthermore, Liman dismissed Giuliani's plea for a postponement of the trial to partake in events related to Trump’s upcoming inauguration, noting that personal engagements do not qualify as legitimate reasons for delays.

Giuliani has been disbarred in New York and has entered a not guilty plea concerning criminal charges in Georgia and Arizona linked to attempts to reverse the 2020 election results.