NEW YORK — A judge on Tuesday cut loose Rudy Giuliani’s attorneys in his bankruptcy-related matter and denied efforts to push back his trial so he could participate in Donald Trump’s inauguration at a manic Manhattan federal court hearing that ended with an outburst from the former New York City mayor.
The upcoming trial set for Jan. 16 relates to the action brought by Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, the mother and daughter election workers Giuliani owes nearly $150 million for falsely accusing them of rigging the last presidential election. It will concern his continued possession of his Palm Beach, Florida, condo, which he’s claimed is his homestead and cannot be taken away from him, and his Yankees World Series rings, which he claims he gifted his son, Andrew.
He’s been forced to give up almost everything else he owns of value.
After granting an application from his former attorneys Kenneth Caruso and David Labkowski to withdraw from the case, Judge Lewis Liman told Giuliani’s new legal representation, Joseph Cammarata, that his client could not fire his lawyer and “restart the clock” by hiring another, had sought multiple extensions, missed multiple deadlines, and had “not shown anything close to ‘due diligence’” concerning the deadlines for producing evidence.
“My client regularly consults and deals directly with President-elect Trump on issues that are taking place as the incoming administration is afoot as well as [the] inauguration,” Cammarata unsuccessfully argued in a bid to delay the trial.
“My client wants to exercise his political right to be there.”
Later in the hearing, Liman expressed frustration that Giuliani had provided Freeman and Moss with his 1980 Mercedes-Benz once owned by Lauren Bacall but not the title certificate, prompting Giuliani to start yelling.
“Your client is a competent person. He was the United States attorney for this district. The notion that he can’t apply for a title certificate for the car is …” the judge said before Giuliani cut him off.
“Every implication that you’ve made is against me!” Giuliani said, claiming he had applied for it.
Responding to the judge’s skepticism that Giuliani is “indigent,” Giuliani said, “I’m not impoverished. Everything I have is tied up. I don’t have a car. I don’t have a credit card. I don’t have cash. I can’t get to bank accounts that truly would be mine because they have put … stop orders on, for example, my Social Security account, which they have no right to do.”
Liman then warned Giuliani, 80, and his lawyer about continued outbursts.
“I permitted Mr. Giuliani to speak. Next time, he’s not going to be permitted to speak, and the court will have to take action,” the judge said.
In a statement, Giuliani’s now-ex-lawyers said they had moved to step down from the case due to “a difference of opinion.” In court, his new lawyer claimed they’d abandoned him.
“We took on the representation in New York to help Rudy. We have a difference of opinion as to how best to do that. Therefore, we have withdrawn in favor of Mr. Cammarata, who appears ready, willing and able to assist Rudy. We wish them every success,” Caruso and Labkowski said.
Outside the courthouse, Giuliani decried the legal proceedings and hurled unfounded accusations at Hunter Biden, including that he possessed child pornography. He told the Daily News he did not wish to clarify remarks he made the week before last about not regretting his defamation of Freeman and Moss.
“I do not regret it for a minute,” he said.
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