**Giuliani Faces Possible Jail Time Over Defamation Case Noncompliance**

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, a key ally of President-elect Donald Trump, is at risk of being jailed for contempt if he does not comply with a court order by Friday to hand over his possessions related to a defamation lawsuit. Legal analyst Glenn Kirschner highlighted this looming threat in a YouTube video on Saturday.

Kirschner, a former U.S. assistant attorney, explained that Giuliani is under pressure to turn over assets including his apartment, luxury watches, and other valuables. According to Kirschner, the federal judge overseeing the case has repeatedly ordered Giuliani to submit these possessions, but Giuliani has failed to do so.

While fines are more commonly used to address contempt, Kirschner noted that jail time is an alternative that could be on the table. "Jail is not the usual first step, but Giuliani will likely face serious consequences if he continues to ignore the court's orders," Kirschner said.

Fordham law professor Cheryl Bader echoed this sentiment in a comment to Newsweek, suggesting that while immediate incarceration might be unlikely, the judge could issue a stern warning about future penalties including jail time.

The defamation case involves two Georgia poll workers, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, who were wrongly accused by Giuliani of committing election fraud during the 2020 presidential election. A Washington, D.C., jury awarded Freeman and Moss over $148 million in damages in December 2023. Giuliani used misleading security footage to make his claims, alleging that the workers had added illegal votes for Joe Biden.

Federal Judge Lewis Liman, who is presiding over the case, had previously set a deadline for Giuliani to comply. The deadline was missed, and now another, final deadline has been set for next week. Liman indicated that if the former mayor continues his noncompliance, he will face contempt sanctions.

In his current financial predicament, Giuliani has taken to social media to solicit donations. Posting on the platform formerly known as Twitter, he shared a link to his GiveSendGo page, claiming that legal actions against him have "seized my measly checking account so I can't buy food." So far, the page has accumulated over $105,000 in donations.

With time running out, Giuliani's compliance with the court's demands remains uncertain as the possibility of jail looms.