Black Girl Magic Strikes Again: Ruby Freeman and ‘Shaye’ Moss Win Backbreaking Judgment Against Rudy Giuliani
A resounding victory for black people everywhere.
Wandrea “Shaye” Moss and her mother Ruby Freeman — the indefatigable and very appropriately named “Lady” Ruby Freeman — have at long last struck a devastating blow against not just Rudy Giuliani, but also against black folks’ arch nemesis and the current Racist-in-Chief, Donald J. Trump.
Today, a Fulton County, Georgia jury of eight handed down a massive $148 million verdict against Giuliani for his vicious, vile, racist, and unrelenting lies and defamation against these women for their completely upright, innocent, and honorable roles as election workers in the 2020 presidential election.
Giuliani’s long history of white supremacy/white racism against the black people of New York City is well documented and still fresh in the minds, bodies, and souls of all black New Yorkers. Beginning as the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and then as mayor of the largest, richest, and most cosmopolitan of all US cities, Giuliani’s comeuppance in a southern city courtroom, Atlanta, with its own strong black presence…well, this is way past “karma.”
They only asked for $48 million.
The jury awarded them $100 million more. There were three different kinds of damages — defamation, punitive and emotional distress.
Shaye and Ruby were awarded $20 million each for emotional distress; $75 million between them in punitive damages. Freeman was separately awarded just over $16 million in defamation damages, while Moss was awarded just under $17 million.
Just the first step.
Yes. There have been a handful of criminal cases prosecuted against some of the ring leaders of the January 6, 2021 defendants. And, we are approaching over 300 guilty pleas or verdicts of the more than 1,000 “foot soldier” defendants who followed Giulani’s, Trump’s, and other “suits’” direction to attack the Capitol Building that day.
But, again, this is the first really big shoe to drop against Trump’s “inner circle.” And this is, as well, the first time an actual court has determined that Trump’s “Big Lie” that the election was stolen from him is compensable.
But it is Giuliani’s outright racism against these two black women, and by extension all black people, indeed all black voters, that has finally been publicly rebuked.
This jury’s message to Trump, Giuliani, and all of their cohorts is that your time is up. Your racism will no longer smooth your paths to power. Your racism will no longer nurture and maintain your positions in power.
It means that, yes, black people are “Americans,” too, and that all of Giulani/Trump’s racist skullduggery and shenanigans to the contrary will no longer stand. It means that black votes carry just as much weight and meaning as any other citizens’ votes.
Rudy just can’t turn off his racist vibe.
Despite this judgment, Giuliani’s arrogant defiance, together with his soul-deep racism, remains fully intact.
Immediately after the judgment was handed down, he once again showed his true colors:
The absurdity of the number merely underscores the absurdity of the entire proceeding, where I’ve not been allowed to offer one single piece of evidence in defense. I am quite confident when this case gets before a fair tribunal, it will be reversed so quickly it will make your head spin. And the absurd number that just came in will help that, actually.
He also denied that his lies were responsible for any of the racist death threats and constant and generalized harassment leveled at these women by Trump supporters.
The [racist] comments they received, I had nothing to do with. Those comments are abominable, they’re deplorable. No defense to it, but I receive comments like that every day … This is a terrible part of our political system.
My comments had no connection at all,” he continued. “There’s no way to say that my comments [are] connected to that, but that’s gonna be part of what we get to litigate in a fair court.
“Lady Ruby’s” faith
For their part, Shaye and Ruby also made statements following the judgment. Shaye’s was a rather perfunctory and expected “thank you” to the jury, their attorneys, and all those who supported and stood by her and her mother.
But, Ruby Freeman (“Lady Ruby”) lived up to her name and took the whole country to church:
Finally, given the antiquated appeals process, and Giuliani’s reportedly dire financial straits, it remains to be seen whether these Sistahs will ever see even one penny of this judgment. That is, if this judgment stands, as Giuliani’s attorney complained during the trial, it will be the “end of Mr. Giuliani” and the “equivalent of the death penalty.”
But, at this point, the dollars are almost beside the point. Whether, as Ruby says, this is God’s will, or yet another demonstration of Black Girl Magic, black people nationwide, nay…this whole nation-state, must celebrate and congratulate Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss.
And… so be it. This is what at least a modicum of “justice” looks like.