Katelyn Polantz - Senior Reporter, Crime and Justice
Katelyn Polantz
Senior Reporter, Crime and Justice
Katelyn Polantz is a reporter based in Washington, DC. She joined the network in 2017 to cover Justice and crime, with a focus on court actions.
Latest
Georgia election workers defamed by Rudy Giuliani ask judge to hold him in contempt in new legal threat
Nov 20, 2024
Two Georgia election workers who won a massive verdict against Rudy Giuliani because he defamed them after the 2020 election are asking a federal judge to hold him in contempt of court.
As attorney general, Gaetz would go from being under DOJ scrutiny to leading the nation’s top law enforcement agency
Nov 17, 2024
One career official described hearing audible cries of “oh my God” echoing down the hallway inside DOJ’s headquarters.
Rudy Giuliani turns over his 1980 Mercedes-Benz convertible, luxury watch collection and a diamond ring to women he defamed
Nov 16, 2024
Rudy Giuliani has turned over his 1980 Mercedes-Benz convertible, his luxury watch collection and a diamond ring, marking a partial end to a saga where the former mayor of New York City has tried to outrun the court system as two Georgia election workers try to collect on a $150 million debt he has owed them for a year.
Rudy Giuliani’s lawyers are trying to quit his debt enforcement case
Nov 14, 2024
The lawyers who have been representing Rudy Giuliani are trying to quit his debt enforcement case because of disagreements with him, according to new court filings, as a Friday deadline nears for the former New York City mayor to turn over many of his most valuable possessions to two Georgia election workers to whom he owes nearly $150 million.
Trump picks Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as attorney general
Nov 14, 2024
President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as his attorney general.
Special counsel Jack Smith looking at stepping down before Trump takes office and is discussing how to end prosecutions
Nov 14, 2024
Special counsel Jack Smith continues to discuss with Justice Department leadership the mechanics of winding down the federal prosecutions of Donald Trump, with the intention of stepping down before the former president returns to the White House, according to a Justice Department official familiar with the discussions.
Trump picks Bill McGinley to serve as his White House counsel
Nov 13, 2024
President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that veteran Republican lawyer Bill McGinley will serve as his White House counsel.
Special counsel tells court he is assessing future of Trump criminal case
Nov 8, 2024
Special counsel Jack Smith could have a decision by December 2 on how to resolve Donald Trump’s criminal case surrounding the events of the 2020 election, he told a federal judge Friday.
Giuliani given a week to turn over his car and other valuables to women he defamed or face contempt
Nov 7, 2024
Former Donald Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani has until the end of next week to give the lawyers of the women he defamed the keys and title of his classic car, and ship them two dozen watches, furniture and sports memorabilia, or else face contempt sanctions, a federal judge said Thursday.
Rudy Giuliani’s apartment was emptied weeks ago, victims in defamation case say
Nov 5, 2024
Rudy Giuliani must appear in person in federal court on Thursday after two election workers who are to receive nearly all of his most valuable assets told a judge they believe the former Donald Trump attorney is hiding items from them.
Four years after Election Day 2020, a former Marine is the latest January 6 rioter to be sentenced
Nov 5, 2024
Even on Election Day 2024, the consequences of Donald Trump supporters rioting after the 2020 election are still playing out — with a man who was at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 and then participated in an anti-government group sentenced to probation on Tuesday.
Special counsel Jack Smith’s office is bracing for retribution if Trump wins
Nov 1, 2024
One year after bringing historic indictments against former President Donald Trump, the prosecutors left in special counsel Jack Smith’s office are gaming out legal options and bracing for retribution if Trump returns to the White House.
Judge to determine whether Rudy Giuliani must turn over his $3.5 million Florida condo to the election workers he defamed
Oct 28, 2024
The fate of Rudy Giuliani’s $3.5 million Palm Beach, Florida, condo, which he says is his primary residence, is now in the hands of a federal judge in Manhattan.
Donald Trump again asks court to dismiss January 6 criminal case, saying special counsel is unconstitutional
Oct 24, 2024
Donald Trump’s legal team is asking a federal court to dismiss the January 6, 2021, election subversion case, saying that the office of special counsel Jack Smith is unconstitutional, in a court filing 12 days before the presidential election.
Rudy Giuliani must give control of luxury items and Manhattan apartment to Georgia election workers he defamed, judge rules
Oct 23, 2024
A federal judge on Tuesday ordered former Donald Trump attorney and New York mayor Rudy Giuliani to turn over all his valuable possessions and his Manhattan penthouse apartment to the control of Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, the Georgia election workers he defamed and to whom he now owes $150 million.
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Reporter breaks down what Giuliani has been ordered to give up to Georgia election workers
2:25
Oct 22, 2024
A federal judge on Tuesday ordered former Donald Trump attorney and New York mayor Rudy Giuliani to turn over all his valuable possessions and his Manhattan penthouse apartment to the control of Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, the Georgia election workers he defamed and to whom he now owes $150 million. CNN’s Katelyn Polantz has the details.
About
Katelyn Polantz is a Justice and crime reporter based in Washington, DC.
She primarily writes about federal court action and politically sensitive investigations involving the Justice Department and the separation of powers. Since joining CNN in 2017, she has covered the Mueller investigation, Trump impeachment proceedings, congressional subpoena fights and the Capitol insurrection. Her reporting on the investigation into Roger Stone contributed to CNN’s 2020 Emmy win for coverage of his arrest, and her work with CNN’s legal department has led to the public release of thousands of government documents and court records.
Polantz previously reported on Washington’s legal community for American Lawyer Magazine and the National Law Journal, and she covered the Supreme Court and the 2012 presidential election as a producer at the PBS NewsHour.
Earlier in her career, she wrote about farms, schools and local governments in southwestern Virginia for the Roanoke Times.
Polantz grew up in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. She is an alumna of the University of Pittsburgh and its student newspaper, The Pitt News.
