Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani has had an interesting 2023 that resulted in him recently declaring bankruptcy.
The financial decision by Giuliani comes after a recent court ruling and a new report says the former mayor could have been in better financial shape if he filed for a pension.
What Happened: Giuliani's decision to file for bankruptcy came after a court ruling found him liable for defamation against two Georgia 2020 election workers.
The former mayor will have to pay out $148 million to Ruby Freeman and Wandrea "Shaye" Moss, barring the result of an appeal. Giuliani made statements about both workers, falsely claiming that Trump lost the 2020 election due to ballot fraud in the state of Georgia.
The 79-year-old former mayor failed to apply for a government pension, according to a report from the New York Post. Taxpayer watchdog group Empire Center for Public Policy obtained city payroll records and uncovered the findings related to Giuliani.
Giuliani left the mayor's office in 2001 and would've been eligible to receive annual payments of around $26,000 after he turned 62. Over the last 17 years, Giuliani could've collected $442,000 through pension payments.
"Giving back to the city I love," Giuliani told The Post, as the reason he never applied for a pension. "Although I would like to take it now."
Giuliani admitted he didn't “know how to go about” applying for his pension.
The report said Giuliani also isn't receiving a federal pension related to his time served as a U.S. Attorney in New York.
A disclosure from 2007 showed that Giuliani paid into New York City's deferred compensation plan, which he valued between $50,000 and $100,000 during his 2008 presidential run.
Related Link: Pension vs. Saving for Retirement
What's Next: Giuliani said he would appeal the ruling related to the 2020 election case against the Georgia workers.
Giuliani's attorney said a failure to win an appeal "will be the end of Mr. Giuliani" and called the ruling "the civil equivalent of the death penalty."
In his bankruptcy filing, Giuliani revealed assets between $1 million and $10 million and liabilities between $100 million and $500 million.
Giuliani also faces several other lawsuits related to the 2020 election, Hunter Biden, Smartmatic, Dominion Voting Systems, a former assistant and his own lawyers.
Like former President Donald Trump, Giuliani could have multiple trials and court appearances ahead related to past charges over the 2020 election and other events.
Giuliani has said that his finances have taken a hit due to his large number of legal challenges. The former Trump lawyer has also had his law licenses suspended in both New York and Washington, D.C.
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