### Georgia Election Workers Settle Defamation Suit Against Conservative Website

Two Georgia election workers have successfully settled their defamation lawsuit against The Gateway Pundit, a conservative website based in Missouri. The website had falsely accused Ruby Freeman and Wandrea "Shaye" Moss of fraud during the 2020 presidential election, according to a recent court filing.

Ruby Freeman and Wandrea "Shaye" Moss, a mother-and-daughter duo, were Fulton County election workers who faced repeated false claims by The Gateway Pundit. The website alleged that they introduced illegal ballots while working at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The settlement with The Gateway Pundit, its owner Jim Hoft, and his brother Joe Hoft came to "the mutual satisfaction of the parties through a fair and reasonable settlement," according to the lawyers representing Freeman and Moss.

By Friday, nearly 70 defamatory articles had disappeared from The Gateway Pundit's website, found The Associated Press. Previously, the company owning The Gateway Pundit had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, but the case was dismissed in July. The judge ruled that the company's filing was in bad faith, aimed at frustrating the suit filed by Freeman and Moss.

The defamation suit also targeted other high-profile individuals and entities, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and One America News Network (OAN). Freeman and Moss alleged that these parties propagated false claims about the election being stolen, which led to severe repercussions including death threats and personal harassment. They are currently attempting to collect a $148 million defamation judgment won against Giuliani for his false claims.

In 2022, OAN settled with Freeman and Moss, releasing a video stating that state officials had concluded there was no "widespread voter fraud by election workers who counted ballots at the State Farm Arena in November 2020." The video affirmed that Freeman and Moss did not engage in any ballot fraud or criminal misconduct.

The false narrative surrounding Freeman and Moss began on December 3, 2020, when Trump's legal representative Jacki Pick presented a video to a Georgia Senate committee. The video allegedly showed Republican observers being asked to leave, with election workers then counting fraudulent ballots. Although Pick did not name the workers, she implied the involvement of someone named Ruby. The Gateway Pundit quickly identified Freeman and Moss, perpetuating the false allegations despite their claims being debunked.

Trump himself mentioned Freeman by name during a phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on January 2, 2021, labeling her "a vote scammer, a professional vote scammer and hustler."

As the false claims spread, Freeman received a barrage of emails, text messages, and threatening phone calls, forcing her to relocate for two months and abandon her clothing business. Moss' son also faced harassment when his phone began receiving threats. Additionally, strangers appeared at her grandmother's house, attempting to make a "citizen's arrest."

The settlement with The Gateway Pundit represents a significant development in the ongoing effort of Freeman and Moss to clear their names and find justice after being subjected to baseless and harmful accusations.