Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani acknowledged Tuesday that he’s still sniffing around for “more information” on Joe Biden in Ukraine, even as the Senate approaches its vote to acquit President Trump in his impeachment trial.
Witnesses in the impeachment proceedings against Trump described Giuliani’s central role in Trump’s pressure campaign on Ukraine, in which the former New York mayor and others sought out political dirt from the country on the President’s behalf as Trump withheld military aide and a White House meeting from Ukraine’s president.
On Tuesday, Giuliani told NPR that the hunt for dirt continued — with Trump’s tacit approval.
“He hasn’t told me not to do it,” the former New York City mayor said.
Giuliani said separately in the interview, referring to Trump investigating Biden, “I would have no problem with him doing it.”
“In fact, I’d have a problem with him not doing it,” Giuliani said. “I think he would be saying that Joe Biden can get away with selling out the United States, making us a fool in the Ukraine.”
Giuliani has alternately described his efforts in Ukraine as defense work for his client, the President, and as volunteer work done at the request of American diplomatic officials. Various impeachment witnesses said Giuliani acted as a de facto White House representative in his talks with Ukrainian and American officials — while he was also pursuing Trump’s political goals.
But the Justice Department has denied any involvement in the dirt-digging quest against the Bidens, and Giuliani’s interest in an announcement of a Ukrainian investigation into Trump’s political rivals — rather than an actual probe — undercuts his and Trump’s claim that their efforts were in the public’s interest, rather than Trump’s political interests.
Giuliani refused to tell NPR whether he’d shared anything with the Justice Department.
“I can’t answer that. it would be privileged material,” he said. “I can’t tell you if I did or didn’t do something with the Justice Department.”
