Giuliani says he is joining Trump's legal team to help bring Mueller probe to a conclusion

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
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I smell a conflict of interest here.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/19/politics/giuliani-trump-legal-team/index.html


Washington (CNN)Rudy Giuliani is joining President Donald Trump's personal legal team, Trump's personal lawyer Jay Sekulow announced Thursday.

In an interview with CNN, Giuliani said he wants to make clear that his role on the legal team will be "limited."

Giuliani told CNN his focus will be on interfacing with special counsel Robert Mueller in his Russia probe and to help bring everything to a conclusion, saying it "needs a little push."

Mueller is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election, including any potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion.

Giuliani, who spoke to CNN on the phone soon after news broke about his role, was careful to praise Trump's current legal team, but he said that sometimes it helps to bring on a fresh perspective.

Giuliani also noted that he has known Mueller for a long time. They worked together in the Justice Department as well as when Mueller was FBI director and Giuliani was New York's mayor.

Giuliani said he is going to get a list from Mueller of what is needed to "comply" with the rest of the investigation as soon as he can, and depending on what is on the list, that compliance might go quickly, even as soon as "a couple of weeks."

Giuliani pushed back on the idea that Trump ever had any intention of firing Mueller. He said the President never gave him any indication he was considering such a move because he knows it would be "counterproductive." Dismissing Mueller would mean the investigation would take longer, Giuliani said, adding that "Bob is the best we can do" and saying he is fair.

Trump's legal team has faced difficulty finding lawyers willing to join them in defending the President in the Russia probe.

CNN previously reported that after the departure of lawyer John Dowd from the team, five large law firms passed on the opportunity to represent Trump.

Well-known Washington lawyers cited several reasons for declining to join the President's team, CNN reported in March, citing multiple sources familiar with their decisions. Among them, Trump appears to be a difficult client and has rebuked some of his lawyers' advice. He's perceived as so politically unpopular he may damage reputations rather than boost them. Lawyers at large firms fear backlash from their corporate clients if they were to represent the President. And many want to steer clear of conflicts of interest that could complicate their other obligations.

Giuliani's law firm, Greenberg Traurig, announced Thursday that he would be taking leave.
"Mr. Giuliani is taking a leave of absence, effective today, for an unspecified period of time to handle matters unrelated to the law firm or its clients," said a statement from Richard A. Rosenbaum, the firm's executive chairman.

Giuliani was a prominent supporter of Trump's presidential bid, and according to two sources, Giuliani was at the President's resort in Mar-a-Lago this week. One source said Trump and Giuliani had a 30-minute interaction while they were there.

"I am announcing today that former New York City Mayor and United States attorney for the Southern District of New York Rudy Giuliani is joining the President's personal legal team," Sekulow said in a statement, adding that Trump said Giuliani is "great" and has been his friend "for a long time."

Sekulow's statement said Giuliani said in a statement: "It is an honor to be a part of such an important legal team, and I look forward to not only working with the President but with Jay, Ty, and their colleagues," a reference to White House special counsel Ty Cobb.

Sekulow also announced two others would be joining the legal team in addition to Giuliani -- Jane Serene Raskin and Marty Raskin -- attorneys from a white collar criminal defense firm based in Florida.
 
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Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
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Mueller knows the likes of Rudy. Giving the investigation a little push, AKA threats and coercion, won't even make Mueller look up from his desk.
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
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I read this

Giuliani told CNN his focus will be on interfacing with special counsel Robert Mueller in his Russia probe and to help bring everything to a conclusion, saying it "needs a little push."

as this

Giuliani told CNN his focus will be on interfering with special counsel Robert Mueller in his Russia probe and to help bring everything to a conclusion, saying it "needs a little push."
 

Hayabusa Rider

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Maxima1

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Jan 15, 2013
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IG report is next month!

http://www.news.com.au/world/breaki...y/news-story/a3529b0479567175987570f955ec702b

"A long-awaited US Justice Department internal watchdog report on former FBI chief James Comey's public disclosures on Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while secretary of state and whether FBI employees leaked information to try to hurt her 2016 presidential bid is expected to be issued next month."

From Comey interview:

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: At the same time, the Hillary Clinton email investigation comes back. When did you first know you were going to have to deal with this again?

JAMES COMEY: Really, October 27th. Somebody earlier in October, the b-- in the beginning of October sometime, mentioned to me that there may be a connection between emails found on Anthony Weiner's laptop and the Clinton email investigation. I don't remember.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Was this Andrew McCabe?

JAMES COMEY: I think it was Andy McCabe, but I'm not certain. I didn't store that in any prominent place in my brain 'cause how could that possibly be true?

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: But how could that not be something you remember?

JAMES COMEY: That's a great question. I think the answer is because how could that possibly be true? How could there be a connection between Anthony Weiner's laptop and Hillary Clinton's emails? And so I think it was sort of a passing comment to me, and I'm sure I stored it away thinking, "Okay, well, that doesn't make any sense, but I'm sure they'll tell me if it does." And they did.
 

UNCjigga

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
24,802
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There is something strange about this...sure he's officially joining his legal team to interface with Mueller, but I think he's also providing attorney/client cover for the Southern District Investigation.

We know that FBI agents in NY and/or AG office has leaked to Giuliani in the past. I think this is a way for Trump to keep tabs on the other investigation to find out if/when Cohen is flipping on him. Rudy could feed leaks to Trump and have it covered under attorney/client privilege.
 

Jhhnn

IN MEMORIAM
Nov 11, 1999
62,365
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There is something strange about this...sure he's officially joining his legal team to interface with Mueller, but I think he's also providing attorney/client cover for the Southern District Investigation.

We know that FBI agents in NY and/or AG office has leaked to Giuliani in the past. I think this is a way for Trump to keep tabs on the other investigation to find out if/when Cohen is flipping on him. Rudy could feed leaks to Trump and have it covered under attorney/client privilege.

Not really. That would be criminal conspiracy & attorney client privilege doesn't apply.
 

UberNeuman

Lifer
Nov 4, 1999
16,937
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Giuliani is like Golem without the personality. Most days are going to be spent chasing him around with a flyswatter.
 

Commodus

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2004
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Hey Giuliani, Mueller will happily end his investigation tomorrow with the right deal. All Trump has to do is formally admit to obstruction of justice (you know, besides the public admission on TV), resign the presidency, and go to prison.

Otherwise... you can push all you want, Giuliani, but Mueller isn't going to voluntarily shut things down until he's satisfied he has explored every possible avenue, including the possibility of charges against the President.
 
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Jhhnn

IN MEMORIAM
Nov 11, 1999
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Giuliani Is being dishonest right out of the box. If Trump wanted to move things along his lawyers woudn't be fighting for him to review & redact the Cohen material before the FBI can do so.
 

Stokely

Golden Member
Jun 5, 2017
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Probably just a throwaway statement, and maybe he even means it!--but anyone saying "for the good of the country" gets my skin crawling a bit. A lot of bad stuff can be excused because it was "for the good of the country" (or church, or whatever), and that's usually the context in which you hear that....put forth as a reason that you "had" to go to extremes.
 

Thebobo

Lifer
Jun 19, 2006
18,592
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IG report is next month!

http://www.news.com.au/world/breaki...y/news-story/a3529b0479567175987570f955ec702b

"A long-awaited US Justice Department internal watchdog report on former FBI chief James Comey's public disclosures on Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while secretary of state and whether FBI employees leaked information to try to hurt her 2016 presidential bid is expected to be issued next month."

From Comey interview:

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: At the same time, the Hillary Clinton email investigation comes back. When did you first know you were going to have to deal with this again?

JAMES COMEY: Really, October 27th. Somebody earlier in October, the b-- in the beginning of October sometime, mentioned to me that there may be a connection between emails found on Anthony Weiner's laptop and the Clinton email investigation. I don't remember.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Was this Andrew McCabe?

JAMES COMEY: I think it was Andy McCabe, but I'm not certain. I didn't store that in any prominent place in my brain 'cause how could that possibly be true?

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: But how could that not be something you remember?

JAMES COMEY: That's a great question. I think the answer is because how could that possibly be true? How could there be a connection between Anthony Weiner's laptop and Hillary Clinton's emails? And so I think it was sort of a passing comment to me, and I'm sure I stored it away thinking, "Okay, well, that doesn't make any sense, but I'm sure they'll tell me if it does." And they did.

So? What's it have to do with Giuliani?
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
45,896
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Hiring somebody who could, at a minimum, become a witness in the very probe he's seeking to end seems like a problematic choice.

Then again nobody else will take the job.