In a major development, Rudolph W. Giuliani, former New York City mayor and lawyer to former President Donald J. Trump, has conceded that he made false statements regarding two Georgia election workers during the 2020 election. Giuliani's concession came in a court filing as part of a defamation lawsuit brought against him by Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss. The lawsuit alleges that Giuliani and others promoted a video falsely claiming that Freeman and Moss manipulated ballots while working at the State Farm Arena for the Fulton County Board of Elections.

In the court papers, Giuliani acknowledged that his statements about Freeman and Moss were defamatory and false. He admitted that he no longer disputed the factual elements of liability raised by the election workers. However, Giuliani maintained that his accusations were protected under the First Amendment and refused to acknowledge that his statements caused any damage to Freeman and Moss.

The filing comes as Giuliani faces potential sanctions for allegedly failing to fulfill his discovery obligations in the case. Freeman and Moss's lawyers have requested the court to impose sanctions on Giuliani, including awarding attorneys' fees and costs, citing his abuse of the judicial process to avoid accountability.

Giuliani's declaration appears to be an attempt to expedite the case and move towards a motion to dismiss. His spokesperson, Ted Goodman, stated that the concessions were made to focus on the legal issues of the case.

Michael J. Gottlieb, the lawyer for Freeman and Moss, hailed Giuliani's concessions as a "major milestone" in their fight for justice. He emphasized that the allegations of election fraud made against his clients were false from the beginning and expressed eagerness to present the remaining aspects of the case at trial.

The lawsuit filed by Freeman and Moss is part of a broader trend of defamation cases brought by election workers against public figures and media outlets that spread misinformation about the 2020 election. It joins other high-profile cases, such as Dominion Voting Systems' lawsuit against Fox News.

Freeman and Moss, who worked as election workers in Fulton County, Georgia, during the 2020 election, became targets of false claims and threats after Giuliani and Trump propagated baseless theories about election fraud. They recently appeared before the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol to share their experiences and refute the false allegations against them.

Apart from the defamation lawsuit, Giuliani also faces other legal challenges, including a possible ethics investigation and inquiries related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

The concession by Giuliani underscores the impact of false claims and misinformation on individuals and highlights the ongoing efforts to seek accountability for those who spread falsehoods about the election. As the legal proceedings continue, the case against Giuliani serves as a reminder of the consequences of baseless allegations and the importance of upholding truth and integrity in the democratic process.