(TheIndependentStar.com) – Bad news keeps piling up for Rudy Giuliani, as the judge presiding over his bankruptcy proceedings expressed his frustration over the lack of progress in resolving the former New York City mayor’s financial troubles.
The judge declined a request to remove a legal impediment preventing Giuliani from challenging a $148 million defamation judgment.
Giuliani filed for bankruptcy last December following a court directive to compensate two former election officials a hefty sum for circulating an unfounded conspiracy theory concerning their involvement in the 2020 election.
Since declaring bankruptcy, the former mayor has failed to meet deadlines for submitting financial disclosures. His attempts to offload properties in New York and Florida have not borne fruit.
Additionally, Giuliani lost his spot at WABC Radio, where he hosted a daily program, due to what the station termed habitual breaches of a rule against discussing discredited claims regarding the 2020 election.
Lawyer for the election workers, Rachel Strickland, accused Giuliani of orchestrating his own dismissal by intentionally violating his employer’s policies, saying, “They have done nothing. They sold nothing. They settled nothing.”
“I agree with you,” U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane remarked. “And I am disturbed about the status of this case.”
Giuliani’s legal representatives contended that he had lined up further opportunities to generate income, though specifics were not provided.
They also noted that plans are underway to liquidate Giuliani’s Manhattan apartment and that strides have been made in addressing and filing the necessary financial documents.
“They finally have, I think, gotten things on track,” Giuliani’s attorney, Heath Berger, noted.
Nevertheless, the judge denied Giuliani’s plea to eliminate the automatic stay that barred him from initiating post-judgment litigation in the defamation lawsuit. The opposing creditors’ lawyers argued that lifting the stay would hinder the bankruptcy process.
Judge Lane also considered a request from the election workers’ attorneys to prevent Giuliani from making further defamatory remarks against them.
While deferring a final decision, Lane underscored that the matter had already been judged and he would not permit the court to be exploited as a venue for ignoring legal obligations.
“Tell your client to stop,” Lane directed Giuliani’s lawyers. “It’s not complicated.”
Copyright 2024, TheIndependentStar.com
