Why Giuliani’s Mercedes and Other Assets Are Caught Up in Court

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has been ordered to show up in a New York court. He missed a deadline to hand over some of his belongings as part of a $148 million defamation judgment. These belongings include a Mercedes and lots of other items. Two former Georgia election workers say Giuliani made false claims about them during the 2020 election, leading to threats against their lives. They were awarded the money in a lawsuit. Giuliani's lawyers say the former mayor needs the Mercedes for transportation in Florida. The court hasn't accepted this excuse, though, and wants Giuliani to explain in person. The judge set an October 29 deadline for Giuliani to turn over his stuff, but nothing has been handed over yet. Giuliani's apartment in Manhattan was found empty when lawyers for the election workers went to check. They reported that most of the valuable items were already gone. Giuliani's lawyers argue that the execution of the judgment should wait until his appeal is resolved. However, the judge isn't convinced and has scheduled an in-person hearing for Giuliani on Thursday. In court filings, Giuliani's lawyer, Kenneth Caruso, tried to postpone the hearing, saying Giuliani has commitments to a live radio broadcast. The judge denied this request, stating that no good reason was provided to change the plan. Giuliani maintains that his possessions are available to the election workers, but he doesn't explain why they haven't been transferred yet.