Speaking to reporters outside court, Rudy Giuliani said he didn’t have “an opportunity to present evidence” and that he plans to appeal the decision.
“Obviously we will move for a new trial, we will certainly appeal,” Giuliani said.
When asked by reporters why he didn’t testify, Giuliani said he believed the judge was threatening him with contempt.
“I didn’t testify because the judge made it clear that if I made any mistake or did anything wrong, she was considering contempt,” Giuliani said.
“I have no doubt that my comments were made and they were supportable and supportable today. I just did not have an opportunity to present the evidence that we offered,” he said.
Judge Beryl Howell on Tuesday admonished Giuliani for making “additional defamatory comments” about Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss late Monday when he told ABC News’ Terry Moran that he stands by his statements that the two women “were engaged in changing votes.”
Those comments “could support another defamation claim,” Howell told Giuliani, who subsequently elected not to testify in the case.
-Katherine Faulders
