In lawsuit against Joe Biden, Rudy Giuliani decries being called 'Russian pawn'

Oct. 4 (UPI) -- Rudy Giuliani on Wednesday filed a defamation lawsuit against President Joe Biden, saying the president and various Biden campaign organizations made false and defamatory statements about him starting in 2020.

The suit comes as Giuliani awaits trial on multiple felonies for allegedly illegally conspiring to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power to Biden in 2021.

The lawsuit against Biden contends the president and various Biden campaign organizations made false and defamatory statements about Giuliani starting during a presidential debate in October 2020.

One such statement cited in the lawsuit was that Trump's "buddy, Rudy Giuliani he (sic) is being used as a Russian pawn he (sic) is being fed information that is Russian that (sic) is not true...."

"What he did to me is intolerable. He called me a Russian operative. That is a lie. That is false," Giuliani said.

Giuliani, himself, was found liable by a federal judge in August for defaming two Georgia election workers.

Judge Beryl Howell made the default judgment against Giuliani while also ordering him to pay $133,000 in sanctions for failing to comply with an order in that case to turn over electronic documents and other evidence.

Giuliani's suit comes as a second lawyer representing him in the election subversion conspiracy criminal charges in Georgia is leaving his defense team.

Brian Tevis told The Hill he has officially filed a motion to leave the case.

Several former Giuliani lawyers have sued him for failure to pay his legal bills, including longtime friend and attorney Bob Costello.

In that case, Giuliani faces 13 charges, including soliciting a public officer to violate their oath, and a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations charge for his alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Prosecutors in that case say Giuliani spread election lies three times in appearances before state lawmakers after the election.

Giuliani is struggling to pay his legal bills as he is also being sued by Dominion Voting Systems for $1.3 billion. Dominion alleges that Giuliani falsely claimed Dominion voting machines cheated by flipping Trump votes to Biden.