The Fulton County judge overseeing the Georgia election interference case has denied Rudy Giuliani’s request to push back a deadline for motions to be filed in the case.
In an order Friday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee rejected Giuliani’s extensions request, keeping in place a Monday deadline.
The judge wrote that Giuliani “does not articulate exactly what discovery must still be reviewed, or why the review has not been completed in the approximately four months that have passed since arraignment.”
He added that while Giuliani “claims to have filed ‘many’ motions concerning discovery, none appear on the docket.”
A spokesperson and attorneys for Giuliani did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday night.
Attorneys for Giuliani, who was indicted along with 18 co-defendants for allegedly violating Georgia’s racketeering laws in connection with the 2020 election, previously told the court they were “still processing” voluminous discovery in the case and asked for a deadline extension.
In addition to the racketeering charge, Giuliani is accused of conspiring to pressure state officials to act on false election claims.
Four defendants in the case have pleaded guilty, while Giuliani and former President Donald Trump, who each face 13 criminal counts, pleaded not guilty.
Trump has sought unsuccessfully to delay various legal challenges until after the election. His lawyers have contended that the Fulton County district attorney’s proposed Aug. 5 start date for the trial “would be the most effective election interference in the history of the United States.”
Friday’s order comes as Giuliani faces mounting legal woes, and fees.
Last month, he filed for bankruptcy protection after being hit with a $148 million verdict in a defamation lawsuit that centered on false claims he made about election workers to boost Trump’s stolen election claims.
Giuliani’s former lawyers sued him last year over allegations that he had not paid legal fees that they said amounted to $1.36 million. He responded to the lawsuit by saying the amount sought was excessive.
Giuliani also faces a $10 million lawsuit filed by Noelle Dunphy, a woman whose allegations included Giuliani’s harassing her and discussing the selling of presidential pardons after she was hired in 2019. Giuliani has denied the claims.
