Judge mutes Giuliani’s mic during chaotic e-hearing in sexual harassment case

MANHATTAN (CN) — What started as a standard hearing in Rudy Giuliani’s sexual harassment case devolved into what the judge called a “complete sideshow” when the former New York City mayor lobbed insults and attacks at his accuser.

“This case should be dismissed based on injustice," Giuliani shouted from his desk during the e-hearing Wednesday, baselessly calling plaintiff Noelle Dunphy a “professional extortionist.”

New York Supreme Court Justice Nicholas Moyne tried desperately to stop the tirade. But after unsuccessfully out-shouting Giuliani, the judge decided to mute his microphone instead.

“Mr. Giuliani, I’m muting you,” Moyne said. “I was hoping you could abide by the guidelines, but you can’t do this.”

Dunphy worked for Giuliani between 2019 and 2021, while he was the personal attorney for then-President Donald Trump, she says in her 2023 lawsuit. During that time, Dunphy claims, Giuliani subjected her to frequent sexual harassment, often “demanding” oral sex from her and going on “alcohol-drenched rants” about women’s bodies.

She also claims that Giuliani owes her roughly $2 million in unpaid wages.

The purpose of Wednesday’s hearing was to field motions from Giuliani, who seeks to strike certain pleadings from Dunphy’s 70-page complaint — including her claims that Giuliani made sexually inappropriate comments about prominent female politicians.

According to Dunphy’s complaint, Giuliani “sexualized Hillary Clinton and mocked her body.” Similarly, he “sexualized Margaret Thatcher and wondered about the effect she would have on his penis.”

Giuliani’s business attorney Adam Katz told the court his client’s comments were “made about everyone under the sun” and have nothing to do with the case; they were included only to “taint the jury and inflame.”

Dunphy’s lawyer Justin Kelton argued that the remarks represent Giuliani’s “pattern of hostility against women.”

Ultimately, the judge reached a compromise, keeping Giuliani’s scrutinized comments but striking the names of those targeted in them.

Moyne’s ruling will also apply to Giuliani’s statement about Michael Bloomberg, who he said “became gay” when his wife left him, as well as a comment about Matt Damon, whom he called a homophobic slur, according to Dunphy’s complaint.

The judge also agreed to strike references to Giuliani’s behavior in “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” a 2020 mockumentary from satirist Sacha Baron Cohen which featured a hidden-camera scene of Giuliani lying in a hotel bed with his hands down his unzipped pants. Dunphy’s complaint featured a photo of Giuliani from the film; she claims that the screenshot “depicts Giuliani acting in a similar manner to how he acted with Ms. Dunphy.”

Moyne, who conceded that he “may have seen this movie at one point,” disagreed.

“I want the photograph out of there,” the judge ruled. “And I will strike the references to Borat.”

Moyne declined to strike references to Giuliani’s supposed alcohol abuse, which he found to be “at the heart” of Dunphy’s claims. He also refused to nix references to Giuliani’s apparent sexual obsession with Wendy Rhoades, a character from the hit TV show “Billions.”

“Giuliani explained that he fantasized about Wendy Rhoades in the popular television show ‘Billions,’ stating, ‘She wears all that black shit, she’s got a whip and an electric prod,’” Kelton recited from Dunphy’s complaint. “Ms. Dunphy made it clear that she was not interested, and immediately changed the subject, commenting on the mosquitoes outside.”

As Kelton read, Giuliani sat with his head in his hands and his eyes closed.

“Okay, I’m going to leave that in,” Moyne ruled, prompting Giuliani to sink back in his chair.

At one point, Moyne took a pause when he discovered that Giuliani’s former associate, the criminally convicted Lev Parnas, was in the meeting’s waiting room. Acknowledging that Parnas is a potential witness in this case, Moyne asked the parties if it would be appropriate to let him join the call. Giuliani begged Moyne not to, and the judge obliged.

“I have no relationship with him any longer,” Giuliani insisted. “He’s a convicted felon.”

After Giuliani’s bankruptcy stalled out Dunphy’s year-old case, the man once known as America’s mayor will have 45 days to answer the impending amended complaint. Dunphy is seeking a $10 million judgment against Giuliani, who vehemently denies her claims and insists that she never worked for him at all.

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