Rudy Giuliani pictured during an appearance on former Newsmax host Eric Bolling’s show in March 2024 (Newsmax/screengrab)
Lawyers for the creditors of Rudy Giuliani said Thursday that they plan to subpoena conservative, pro-Trump network Newsmax for documents to shed light on the scope of its financial relationship between the former NYC mayor, his companies, and legal defense funds as his bankruptcy case trudges on.
The notice of intent from the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, largely identical in form and function to other subpoenas issued in the case thus far, seeks to uncover how much money Giuliani “derived from” his shows or “any other media appearances […] on Newsmax.”
The filing additionally revealed that the attorneys are pursuing “all documents and communications” on “any actual, contemplated or proposed contracts or agreements, whether oral or written, formal or informal” between Newsmax and Giuliani, his companies, or his legal defense funds — “concerning the production or distribution of Uncovering the Truth or The Rudy Giuliani Show, business dealings, advertisements, endorsements or any other sources of income, revenue or other compensation for the Debtor, any Debtor Related Person or any Debtor Related Entity.”
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Thereafter, the filing seemed to suggest that creditors’ lawyers are aware of recent allegations made by voting machine company Smartmatic that Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy “destroyed the text messages and emails of key executives responsible for its defamatory campaign” after the 2020 election, a claim Newsmax has categorically denied.
The subpoena said that if any “responsive” Newsmax documents have been “destroyed,” the media company needs to say why and identify who was ultimately responsible.
“If any Document responsive to these Requests has been destroyed, lost or discarded, state when the Document was destroyed, lost or discarded; identify the Person who destroyed, lost or discarded the Document; and, in the event the Document was destroyed or discarded, identify the Person who directed that it be destroyed or discarded,” the filing continued. “Additionally, detail the reasons for the destruction, loss or discarding; describe the nature of the Document; identify the Persons who created, sent, received or reviewed the Document; and state in as much detail as possible the contents of the Document.”
Law&Crime separately reached out to a Giuliani spokesman and Newsmax for comment on the latest development.
Read the subpoena notice here.
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