Rudy Giuliani, Slow to Transfer Assets to Election Workers, Could Be Held in Contempt

After several missed deadlines and extensions, Rudolph W. Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, could be found in contempt of court on Friday for failing to deliver assets worth $11 million to two poll workers he defamed after the 2020 presidential election.

If he is held in contempt, he could face steep penalties, including jail time.

Mr. Giuliani, 80, appeared in federal court in Lower Manhattan to try to justify the stalled handover of some of his most prized possessions, including a penthouse apartment in Manhattan, a collection of Yankees memorabilia, luxury watches and a vintage Mercedes-Benz convertible.

Mr. Giuliani’s presence wasn’t assured. A day before, Mr. Giuliani’s lawyer asked if his client could appear virtually, because of medical issues related to his left knee, as well as breathing problems that he attributed to his time spent at the World Trade Center after the Sept. 11 attacks.

But the judge, Lewis J. Liman, who had a testy exchange with Mr. Giuliani about the case in November, said he would not accept Mr. Giuliani’s testimony unless he attends in person. So the former mayor, in a dark blue suit and glasses, walked into the 15th floor courtroom with a visible limp and a dry cough.

Mr. Giuliani is expected to take the stand sometime after lunch.

The transfer was originally scheduled to take place in October, as a down payment on a $148 million judgment that he was ordered to pay to two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Shaye Moss. Mr. Giuliani had claimed, without evidence, that the women had helped steal the presidential election from Donald J. Trump more than four years ago.

But one deadline after another has passed, and lawyers for the women said they have received only a fraction of the property.