Rudy Giuliani was muted in court Wednesday as he tried to defend himself in a virtual hearing for a sexual harassment lawsuit, the mayor’s latest courtroom drama as he faces a federal judge’s orders to turn over his apartment and possessions to two Georgia poll workers in a separate case.
Noelle Dunphy, a consultant who allegedly worked for Giuliani from 2019 through 2021, sued the former mayor in 2023, accusing him of a litany of crimes including sexual assault, sexual harassment, and wage theft amounting to $1.98 million in unpaid salary.
In a virtual hearing on Wednesday, Giuliani became irate with the accusations levied against him in the 70-page lawsuit, accusing Dunphy of being a “professional extortionist,” the New York Daily News reported.
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Dunphy’s attorney called the former New York City mayor’s response “outrageous,” and Judge Nicholas Moyne seemed to agree.
“Mr. Giuliani, you’re going to cause yourself harm by doing this, OK? So I’m going to protect you from yourself at this time,” Moyne said, according to the Daily News. Giuliani continued shouting into the camera after he was muted, the paper reported.
“These are personal attacks, and this is not the time for that, OK? I’m not going to allow it, I’m sorry,” Moyne told Giuliani. “I tried to treat you with respect and with deference, but you have to follow my rules.”
Giuliani has previously denied Dunphy ever worked for him, and reiterated those claims on X on Wednesday—this time also claiming, “I dated this person briefly.” A spokesperson for Giuliani did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast.
Giuliani did rack up at least one victory in the hearing on Wednesday. An attorney for the former mayor argued with Moyne about striking some of the “sexualized” and “homophobic” comments about celebrities and other politicians detailed in the suit.
Attorneys for Dunphy argued that these comments were important to show how Giuliani created a “hostile work environment” and demonstrate his “gender-motivated animus towards women,” according to the lawsuit.
Moyne agreed to strike the celebrities’ names from the record, Courthouse News Service reported, but allowed the comments to remain.
The strange court hearing comes only one day after a federal judge in Georgia ruled that Giuliani must turn over his possessions to the two poll workers he was found liable for defaming in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election—including his Upper East Side apartment, his New York Yankees memorabilia, and a Mercedes-Benz once owned by legendary actress Lauren Bacall.
