On July 15th, 2020, four Georgia poll workers filed suit against Rudy Giuliani for defamation, wining a staggering $1.48 million after the former New York Mayor called their work “corrupt” and accused them of helping to steal the November 2020 Election. The four were identified as only “John Doe” in their lawsuit, underlining the gravity of the situation and the impact it had on their lives. However, the poll workers have recently made good on their promise to once again sue Giuliani for defamation, seeking an unspecified amount of punitive damages.
The poll workers, located in Walton, Rockdale, and Pike Counties, argued that Giuliani’s accusations caused irreparable damage to their reputations and personal lives. In his December 2020 hearing in Georgia, Giuliani called them “corrupt” and accused them of participating in conspiracy theories with the Democratic Party.
Despite initially claiming they were innocent and never interfered in the election, Giuliani proceeded to call them “corrupt” and alleged that they allowed electronic voting systems to be accessed illegally. The lawsuit sought actual and punitive damages for what the workers labeled as an “intentional and malicious campaign,” stressing how Giuliani attempted to portray them as criminals.
The lawsuit also acknowledged the public and financial humiliation imposed on the workers, as well as the physical pain and suffering. Once it became apparent that the poll workers were indeed innocent, their attorney argued, Giuliani proceeded to make the situation worse, falsely accusing them of being involved in a conspiracy to tilt the election in favor of former President Joe Biden.
By highlighting the poll workers’ innocence, the lawsuit seeks to reclaim the reputations of the four individuals and punish Giuliani for his lies. The lawsuit also seeks an unspecified amount of punitive damages to the poll workers, as well as a public apology from Giuliani and a retraction of his statements regarding the poll workers. According to the attorney representing the poll workers, the lawsuit shows that even if the election was controversial, it wasn’t the fault of the poll workers and they should not have been made scapegoats.
The lawsuit also acknowledges the hardship the poll workers faced during the past months. Not only were they wrongfully accused and labeled as criminals, they also faced numerous abuse and death threats. In order to protect their safety and anonymity, the poll workers decided to keep their involvement in the lawsuit a secret.
Though the amount of damages the poll workers’ seek has not been made public, the defamation suit is a testament to their courage and determination to reclaim their reputations. This shows that regardless of who won the election, the truth must always prevail and justice must be served.
