For Giuliani, It's a Huge Day in Court

Rudy Giuliani will be in a DC courtroom Monday to face two women he already has been found guilty of spreading lies about. The short jury trial about to get underway will determine how much money he owes Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and daughter Shaye Moss, and the stakes are large not only for Giuliani personally but as a precedent going forward. Coverage:

• The claims: Giuliani accused Freeman and Moss of manipulating the vote count in Georgia, famously saying they were "quite obviously surreptitiously passing around USB ports as if they're vials of heroin or cocaine," per the Hill. He also accused them of bringing in "suitcases" of fake Joe Biden votes, per the Washington Post. Investigation by three separate law enforcement agencies debunked Giuliani's claims—the USB port, for example, was actually a breath mint.
• No contest: Giuliani filed a court motion previously in which he did not contest the claim he had defamed the women but said his speech was constitutionally protected. The jury trial that begins Monday—three days of testimony are expected—will determine how much money he owes them in punitive damages. The Georgia women have spoken of the barrage of death threats they have received as a result of the false accusations, per Politico.

• Big stakes: The women are asking for up to $43 million from Giuliani. "Legal experts and democracy advocates will also be watching closely to see whether a rarely used complaint of defamation can act as a deterrent on anyone contemplating another round of election denial in next year's presidential election and beyond," per the Guardian.
• Giuliani counter: US District Court Judge Beryl Howell continues to come under criticism from Giuliani's team. "The judges' biases and prejudices are well known and have been demonstrated throughout this case," said Giuliani spokesman Ted Goodman last week. "In the fullness of time, this will be looked at as a dark chapter in America's justice system as this whole process is doing great, irreparable harm." In addition to this case, Giuliani is named as a co-conspirator in the federal case brought against former President Trump in Georgia.

(More Rudy Giuliani stories.)