Giuliani Claims Florida Is Primary Home Because People Let Him Smoke

Former New York mayor, Rudy Giuliani, has said he chose Florida as his home because people let him smoke there, legal papers released to Newsweek show. “I have a balcony and I used to smoke cigars—used to smoke cigars here [Florida] too, in the courtyard and they never complained. In New York my gosh, if I even took a cigar out, they would complain,” he said. Newsweek sought email comment from attorneys for Giuliani on Thursday. Why It Matters Giuliani is fighting to have his $3.5 million Florida condo declared his primary residence so that he will not have to surrender it to two Georgia election workers who successfully sued him for $148 million. The case feeds into a wider debate about Donald Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election result, which the President-elect denies. As Trump’s campaign attorney, Giuliani spread false claims that two Georgia election workers had conspired to rig the result for Joe Biden. Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani leaves the New York Federal Courthouse on November 7, 2024. Giuliani is fighting to exempt his $3.5 million Florida condo from a libel judgment and says he likes it… Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani leaves the New York Federal Courthouse on November 7, 2024. Giuliani is fighting to exempt his $3.5 million Florida condo from a libel judgment and says he likes it because of a relaxed attitude to smoking there. Alex Kent/Getty Images What To Know In 2023, a Washington, D.C. jury found Giuliani liable for defaming Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, and awarded them $148 million. Freeman and Moss are now seeking enforcement of that order by seizing Giuliani’s homes in New York and Florida, along with many other assets, including his Mercedes car. A New York judge has already ordered Giuliani to transfer his Manhattan condo to a receiver who will then sell it for Moss and Freeman. Newsweek sought email comment from attorneys for Freeman and Moss on Thursday. Giuliani will go to trial in January to fight for the right to keep his condo in West Palm Beach, Florida. As part of that legal battle in New York, he was questioned by Moss and Freeman’s lawyer in a pretrial deposition on December 27, the contents of which have now been released to Newsweek. During the deposition, recorded in Florida, Giuliani explained why he had chosen his Florida condo, rather than his Manhattan condo, as his primary residence and the attitude toward smoking is cited. He said he had many things to do in New York, which is why he delayed making Florida his primary residence but was happy he did so. On December 12, the judge who oversaw the defamation case sharply rebuked Giuliani for continuing to spread false claims that Moss and Freeman were involved in election tampering. Washington, D.C. federal judge, Beryl Howell, said in court that Giuliani’s most recent comments to reporters “could support another defamation claim” after Giuliani made “negative, quite defamatory statements” about Freeman and Moss. That suggests that, even if he sells off assets to pay for the current defamation lawsuit, Giuliani may be facing another lawsuit by Moss and Freeman. Read more What People Are Saying What Giuliani said in the deposition released to Newsweek: “I just happen to like it [Florida] better. The staff is nicer and the people are wonderful. I mean I’ve lived in many different places and they [Florida residents] are just wonderful people. I mean, I have a balcony and I used to smoke cigars—used to smoke cigars here too, in the courtyard and they never complained. In New York my gosh, if I even took a cigar out, they would complain. I liked living here a lot. I mean, I decided to live here because I enjoyed it so much.” What Happens Next The trial to decide if Giuliani can keep his Florida condo is set to begin in New York on January 16, 2025. Freeman and Moss’s legal team will continue to seek other assets, including those he has been ordered to transfer to a receivership. A judge has instructed the receiver to sell the assets for Moss and Freeman’s benefit.