Rudy Giuliani, a lawyer for former President Donald Trump, responded on Monday to a $ 1.3 billion defamation suit filed against him by Dominion Voting Systems.
Giuliani had publicly supported Trump’s baseless claims that widespread electoral fraud had been a factor in President Joe Biden’s victory. Among the conspiracy theories propagated by Giuliani was an allegation that the tabulation machines manufactured by Dominion Voting Systems had been programmed to turn Trump’s votes to Biden. Many of the lawsuits filed by Giuliani and other members of Trump’s legal team, trying to overturn the election results, have failed. In his Monday lawsuit, Dominion said Giuliani’s claims had damaged the company’s reputation.
During the Monday edition of Giuliani’s Talk to the mayor on the WABC program, Giuliani scoffed at the billion-dollar process.
“What do you think I am, some kind of idiot?” Giuliani asked. “This is to scare me, you want to scare me. You want to scare me, like you have some of those companies and stations that went ahead and kissed your know-what. Because they are afraid of you.”
“Well, I’m saying I’m a crazy guy, I really am, I’m just crazy,” continued Giuliani. “So, not only did you not frighten me, but you also gave me something that I couldn’t pass through the censorship that was created so that no one could see your machines.”
Giuliani said the process would allow his “independent experts” to examine electronic voting machines and thoroughly investigate Dominion’s investors and business connections.
“You got the wrong guy here,” said Giuliani. “I think some of the others you have sued are the wrong people too. I just don’t think they can be afraid.”
Newsweek contacted Dominion Voting Systems for comment.
Mandel Ngan / AFP / Getty
In a statement on Monday, Dominion CEO John Paulos said Giuliani’s continuing claims that Dominion was implicit in electoral fraud “undermined confidence in American democratic institutions.” Paulos added that Giuliani “continues to make demonstrable false claims and we intend to hold him responsible, as well as others who spread misinformation”.
Dominion also filed a $ 1.3 billion lawsuit against attorney Sidney Powell in January. Powell, who worked alongside Trump’s legal team, claimed that Dominion started in Venezuela and that his ballot boxes were used in that country to secure the election of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. Dominion denied the charges.
“Dominion has never participated in any elections in Venezuela and has no connection or relationship with the now deceased Venezuelan ex-dictator Hugo Chávez,” Dominion said in a November statement. “Other companies have served the elections in Venezuela, but Dominion is not one of them.”
Giuliani promoted the theory of fraudulent voting machines during comments at a Stop the Steal rally in Washington, DC, in January, telling attendees that he was not allowed to examine “a paper machine or ballot paper”. In his demonstration comments, Giuliani equated the lack of access to machines with criminal behavior.
“Who hides evidence?” Giuliani said. “Criminals hide evidence. Not honest people.”
After the rally, in which Trump also hinted at widespread electoral fraud, several Trump supporters went to the United States Capitol and interrupted Congress’ confirmation of Biden’s electoral victory. Members of the mob, some of whom were armed, managed to enter the Capitol building. Some lawmakers were forced to take shelter there until the raid could be stopped. Five deaths were reported in connection with the riot.