New developments suggest it’s going terribly for longtime Trump ally Rudy Giuliani amid the criminal case he’s facing in Georgia from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. The charges cover Giuliani’s alleged role in a criminal conspiracy targeting Georgia’s presidential election results from 2020.
In short, Georgia Judge Scott McAfee, serving in Fulton County, which is in the Atlanta area, has rejected a request from Giuliani for an “indefinite” extension of time for the filing of court motions ahead of trial. Giuliani cited supposed gaps in his review so far of materials provided by local prosecutors amid the discovery process, which is a routine period before trial in which case-related materials are shared to assist in preparations for arguments to jurors. As recounted by McAfee, Giuliani claimed in seeking the extension to have filed a slew of motions already that related to the discovery process… but McAfee said he couldn’t find any on the docket (meaning in records for the case) matching the relevant specifications.
Was Giuliani trying to lie to the judge to get extra time? As McAfee also explained, a record in filings needs establishing before the kind of extension that Giuliani was seeking.
“While Defendant claims to have filed “many” motions concerning discovery, none appear on the docket,” McAfee wrote in his decision. “Extensions are only considered upon filing of a particularized motion containing a detailed, fact-based explanation of the need for the extension including the amount of time needed.” And McAfee said the specific filing from Giuliani to which he was reacting with this decision also fell short.
The criminal allegations that Giuliani is facing include solicitation of violation of oath by public officer alongside false statements and writings — meaning a claim he pressured a public official into what would have been violative of their oath of office and another claim that he made false statements. Giuliani appeared before Georgia state legislators to push his false fraud claims after the 2020 presidential race concluded.
JUST IN: Judge Mcafee DENIES Rudy Giuliani’s motion for extension of time to file pre-trial motions in Fulton County RICO case.
The order follows a flurry of docket activity ahead of the upcoming Jan. 8 deadline for pre-trial motions. pic.twitter.com/4bubWarg3E
— Anna Bower (@AnnaBower) January 5, 2024
