In a stunning turn of events, Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor and personal attorney to Donald Trump, has settled a massive $1.3 billion defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems.
According to the Washington Examiner, the settlement, finalized in a court filing on Friday, marks the end of a contentious legal battle over Giuliani's claims of election fraud in the 2020 presidential race.
Following Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 election, numerous allegations surfaced from Trump and his allies, asserting that the election had been rigged against him. Among these claims, Giuliani publicly accused Dominion Voting Systems of playing a role in manipulating votes to favor Joe Biden over Trump. These assertions, made through social media posts and public statements, became the foundation of Dominion’s legal action against him.
In December 2020, Dominion sent a warning letter to Giuliani, urging him to cease making what they called false statements about their company. Despite this caution, Giuliani continued to allege voter fraud involving Dominion on his radio show, heightening tensions. He stated on air, “So long as you have Dominion, there is clear and present danger,” implying ongoing risks of rigged results.
Shortly after his radio comments, Giuliani also claimed to have “boxes of evidence to support his claims” regarding Dominion’s alleged misconduct. In response, Dominion filed a lawsuit against Giuliani in 2021, accusing him of orchestrating a widespread disinformation effort. The company argued that his accusations were baseless and damaging to their reputation, describing them as a “viral disinformation campaign.”
Dominion’s lawyers emphasized that, despite their voting machines being used in Pennsylvania during the 2020 election, the Trump campaign’s formal complaint contained no accusations against them. As stated in the lawsuit, “Notably, although Dominion machines were used in Pennsylvania in the 2020 election, the Trump Campaign’s complaint did not include any allegations about Dominion.” This discrepancy, Dominion argued, further highlighted the unfounded nature of Giuliani’s public statements.
After years of legal wrangling, Giuliani and Dominion settled, as detailed in a court filing on Friday. The agreement resulted in the dismissal of all claims against Giuliani with prejudice, meaning the case cannot be reopened. However, the specific terms of the settlement remain undisclosed to the public at this time.
Under the terms outlined in the court filing, neither side will cover the other’s legal expenses. As noted by Dominion’s lawyers, “Each party shall bear its own attorneys’ fees, expenses, and costs.” This arrangement ensures that both Giuliani and Dominion are responsible for their respective financial burdens from the lawsuit.
This settlement is not the only legal challenge Giuliani has faced recently, as he has encountered several financially draining lawsuits. He was ordered to pay over $1.36 million to his former lawyers for unpaid legal fees in a separate case. Additionally, Giuliani settled a lawsuit with two Georgia election workers after a jury mandated a $148 million payment for falsely accusing them of aiding Democrats in stealing the 2020 election.
Despite these financial setbacks, Giuliani has been allowed to retain certain personal assets. Among these are World Series rings gifted to him by the New York Yankees, spanning the years 1994 to 2001. These items hold significant personal and historical value for the former mayor.
Giuliani’s case is part of a broader pattern of legal actions taken by Dominion Voting Systems against various entities and individuals. Other major media outlets, such as Fox News and Newsmax, have also faced lawsuits from Dominion over similar election fraud claims. Fox News settled for $787.5 million in 2023, while Newsmax agreed to a $67 million payout to resolve its respective cases.
The wave of lawsuits stems from the intense scrutiny and controversy surrounding the 2020 presidential election results. Claims of widespread fraud, propagated by Trump and his allies, including Giuliani, fueled public distrust in the electoral process. Dominion became a frequent target of these unproven allegations, leading to significant legal repercussions for those who made them.
The settlements with Dominion, including Giuliani’s, underscore the legal risks of making unsubstantiated claims about election integrity. These cases have set important precedents for accountability in public statements, especially regarding voting technology companies. For Dominion, the outcomes represent a defense of their reputation against damaging narratives. As Giuliani navigates the aftermath of this settlement, his financial and legal challenges remain a focal point of public interest. The undisclosed terms of the Dominion agreement leave questions about the full scope of its impact on him. Nevertheless, this resolution closes a significant chapter in his post-2020 election legal battles.
The Dominion lawsuits, including this settlement with Giuliani, highlight the ongoing tension surrounding election integrity debates in the United States. They serve as a reminder of the consequences that can arise from unverified claims made in the public sphere. As future elections approach, these cases may influence how political figures and media outlets address voting systems and results.