In her decision, Howell also accused Giuliani of destroying evidence relevant to the case.
Well, that’s interesting. I wonder if he’s destroyed evidence in any other cases he might be involved in. (That’s rhetorical, btw - if he’s done it here, then of course he’s done it in the much more serious January 6th case.)
I am deeply curious to know what prompted the judge to include that accusation. Such an accusation, without sufficient evidence to support it, could definitely (and ironically) be defamatory.
I mean, who wouldn’t? Most people don’t commit crimes, which is of course the right way. But if you do, only idiots create any evidence in the first place, but only complete idiots leave that evidence around for law enforcement to find.
Agreed. But most people were never the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, who specialized in taking down hard-to-get-at groups using RICO laws - someone who knows in exacting detail what those laws are and how they can be applied. He knew better than to leave evidence in the first place, and doubly knew that getting rid of it was an especially bad idea of the investigation was at all serious.
I mean he failed to comply with discovery subpoenas. To me that says that he was more concerned with what might turn up than he was with having to pay damages in this case. If he loses this but avoids larger legal cases because of it that may be shady but I wouldn’t call it stupid.
True. But Iirc (it’s hard to keep track) he’s an unnamed coconspirator in one of the federal cases, and I think destroying that evidence works more against him there.
He is obviously an idiot, because he’s creating evidence left and right. With these people I think it’s a mix of stupidity and hubris. They got away with so much crap, they think they’ll get away with everything.
Howell’s ruling against Giuliani was by a default judgment, as the judge found that he had failed to comply with a number of subpoenas, particularly those pertaining to the lawsuit’s discovery phase.
Never go full Alex Jones, it never works out
But Alex Jones doesn’t have a law degree. That’s what makes this especially baffling. He didn’t do the most basic thing you can do in a lawsuit.
Friendly reminder that the whole theory behind default judgements, is that the court has to assume you did it to hide something at least as bad as what you’re accused of.
Or maybe he’s just a senile wacko who’s had his ego stroked way too much in his life. 9/11
I really am baffled. Even if he’s senile, doesn’t he have staff?
He’s probably not able to pay them, so I guess they ain’t particularly eager to do anything.
Remember that he’s evil, not stupid, and he’s capable of making decisions that serve his interests. If he just flat out defied a subpoena it’s because the consequences of complying with the subpoena would have been worse.
Evil people who are not also stupid, don’t hitch their wagons to Trump’s star.
Wasnt until recently that became an objectively bad idea. I honestly think that if he didn’t loudly and purposely fumble COVID we’d already have president-for-life Trump
Yep. He didn’t comply with discovery. He is hiding something. I bet we find anyway soon.
I think given the extent to which he has pickled his brain, Giuliani may well be stupid as well now.
I’m surprised that for quite a while he was considered a legal genius, up to his mayoral stint. Was he always like this or has it been something related to age/hubris/lead poisoning?
He was very much always like this. It’s pretty well documented.
I dunno. I saw a document about prosecutors and feds learning how to use rico when it was still new. He seemed really cogent in his interview. I think there might have been a time when he was pretty sharp. Now his mind is melted by age and ever-more-insane politics on the right. I think he’s also a well-known alcoholic, and not in the fun party way… the all the time way.
His eyes were very red in his mugshot. He was either very drunk or very hung over.
Why not both!
I think that having cogent statements about a thing he was well prepared for is not mutually exclusive with being an addled idiot in other areas of his life.
He’s had too much koolade and thought he could get away with more and more based on the force of his personality. We are watching it bite him in the ass in real time.
The right gave him attention and he capitalized on it.
He always had a bit of a nasty authoritarian streak, but he used to be a bit better at practicing law. Now he’s just flailing like a fool.
The long arm of ferret lovers finally moved to checkmate.
Ah. He used the Alex Jones defense strategy.
I hope he’s disbarred. At minimum, Bill Barr should get a restraining order against him.
Dis-Barr’d
I hope that these people continue in their refusal to take the court seriously. It used to frustrate me, but I’ve realized that it’s much better than endless delaying tactics and other legal shenanigans.
LOL, I am really enjoying the schadenfreude. It’s gonna be hella funny when RICO Suave is imprisoned.
