Rudy Giuliani is brushing off reports that showed he was pursuing business deals with the Ukrainian government as he sought evidence of alleged corruption by the Bidens.
During a Wednesday interview with The New York Times, Giuliani said a Ukrainian official wanted to hire him for personal business. He said he rejected the offer because he was considering a different deal with the country’s government. The president’s lawyer said he thought it would be too complicated and added: “I never received a penny.”
NYT #FAKENEWS:
I did NOT pursue a business opportunity in Ukraine, as they misrepresented. I could have helped them recover $7B in stolen money, but I didn’t. Was paid ZERO.
They attack me because I have exposed their hypocrisy & how they covered up Biden’s massive corruption!
— Rudy Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) November 27, 2019
One of the documents showed a signed proposal from Giuliani to have the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice pay his firm $300,000 to recover stolen or lost government money.
President Trump has disputed claims he ordered Rudy Giuliani to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter. The president said he did not ask Giuliani to go to Ukraine to investigate potential corruption and Democrat collusion.
In an interview with Bill O’Reilly this week, he said, “No, I didn’t direct him, but he is a warrior.” He noted Giuliani has done previous work in Ukraine and represents clients other than the president.
“I know he was going to go to Ukraine, and I think he canceled a trip,” stated the president. “Rudy has clients other than me.”
A recent New York Times report stated Giuliani lobbied the Justice Department on behalf of a Venezuelan energy tycoon. The businessman was reportedly fighting bribery and money laundering charges while Giuliani was seeking cooperation with Ukrainians on the Biden probe.
The documents reviewed portray an evolving effort by Rudy Giuliani and other lawyers to consider taking on Ukrainian officials as clients. The New York Times could not determine whether the documents it reviewed comprise the entirety of the efforts. https://t.co/mwEtQ8Kdag
— The New York Times (@nytimes) November 27, 2019
In response to the report, Giuliani told the outlet, “This is attorney-client privilege, so I will withstand whatever malicious lies or spin you put on it.”
The NYT today has so much #FAKENEWS!
1. I did not ask anyone to dig up dirt on Joe Biden and certainly not with Dimitry Firtash, who I have never met or talked to.
2. I never heard of Shokin meeting w/Congressman Nunes.
How many times can a source lie? Lawsuit?
— Rudy Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) November 25, 2019
Giuliani has repeatedly stated he conducted an investigation on President Trump’s behalf, to defend him against false allegations by his political enemies. Giuliani previously said he is working pro bono as a private defense counsel for the president.
When asked if he had any regrets about mentioning Joe Biden in Ukraine called, the president suggested he would have still brought up the Bidens in his July 25th discussion.
“It was mentioned as very unimportantly and, as you know, Joe Biden’s son became rich as soon as Joe Biden became vice president,” stated President Trump. “In my way of thinking, that’s totally corrupt.”
He has repeatedly urged Americans to read the July 25th rough transcript, which he said will shut down any criticism over his “perfect call.” In the transcript, Giuliani is mentioned as a point person for Ukrainian President Zelensky to contact on the alleged Ukraine DNC server hack. The president then referred to Giuliani as a liaison for the possible Biden investigation. He urged Zelensky to contact Attorney General William Barr and Giuliani to follow up on the probe.
Near the end of the call, the president also affirmed he would take the investigations serious after the Ukraine leader mentioned a visit to Washington D.C. He said, “I will tell Rudy and Attorney General Barr to call you.”