Rudy Giuliani ‘has been approaching defense attorneys’ amid the ongoing Ukraine investigations just days after saying he would only employ one if he ‘felt one was needed’
- Trump’s personal attorney said he would only seek a lawyer if he felt it necessary
- Federal prosecutors are investigating his potentially criminal dealings in Ukraine
- Two of his associates have appeared in court over campaign finance charges
Rudy Giuliani has approached defense attorneys for possible representation in the ongoing Ukraine investigations according to three sources close to the matter.
Donald Trump’s personal attorney said last week he would not be looking for a new lawyer unless he felt one was necessary.
It comes as federal prosecutors in New York close in on Giuliani’s dealings in Ukraine as part of their investigation into potential criminal wrongdoing.
Rudy Giuliani has approached defense attorneys for possible representation in the ongoing Ukraine investigations
His previous lawyer John Sale has helped him deal with the congressional inquiries, CNN reported.
He said on October 15: ‘If they take me to court I would then have to get another lawyer.’
The potential new lawyer would represent Giuliani in the investigation looking into his ties with two Ukrainian businessmen, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, who were indicted and appeared in court this week for illegally funnelling money into US elections for their personal interests.
Prosecutors say Parnas and Fruman, associates of Trump’s personal attorney, used a shell company in 2018 to donate $325,000 to the PAC, America First Action.
They also claim the duo raised money for former Texas Congressman Pete Sessions as part of an effort to have the Republican president remove the then-US ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.
The pair pleaded not guilty in court yesterday.
The potential new lawyer would represent Giuliani in the investigation looking into his ties with two Ukrainian businessmen, Lev Parnas (left) and Igor Fruman (right)
Yesterday, the former New York Mayor said he hadn’t yet heard from the FBI or lawyers about the Ukraine matter.
People close to Giuliani have reportedly told him to hire a criminal lawyer as doubts grow about the nature of his relationship with Parnas and Fruman.
Giuliani’s links to Ukraine have been exposed since the White House released the transcript of Donald Trump’s phone call with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which is now the subject of an impeachment inquiry.
The transcript shows Zelensky was aware of Giuliani’s efforts to find information that could help Trump.
Giuliani’s links to Ukraine have been exposed since the White House released the transcript of Donald Trump’s phone call with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
The transcript shows Zelensky (pictured) was aware of Giuliani’s efforts to find information that could help Trump
Trump is accused of asking the Ukrainian President to investigate former Vice President Biden, a top contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.
The request came after Trump had withheld $391 million in security aid to Ukraine, which he later released.
Democrats have accused Trump of pressuring a vulnerable foreign ally to dig up dirt on a domestic political opponent for his own political benefit.
Giuliani has said Parnas and Fruman helped his efforts in Ukraine to investigate Biden and Biden’s son Hunter. The younger Biden had served as a director of a Ukrainian energy company from 2014 to earlier this year.
Trump has denied wrongdoing and has described the impeachment probe as a partisan ‘smear’.