- According to ABC News, Rudy Giuliani said he was working on the defense of President Donald Trump for his upcoming indictment.
- Giuliani said he intended to argue that the president did not incite violence because the unfounded allegations of voter fraud were true – despite the fact that none of the claims have been kept in court so far.
- He also said he would not oppose Trump himself testifying during the Senate hearing.
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According to ABC News, Rudy Giuliani said he was working on the defense of President Donald Trump for his upcoming indictment.
Giuliani told ABC that he intended to argue that the president did not incite violence because the unfounded allegations of voter fraud were true – despite the fact that many of the claims were denied and no one appeared in court.
‘They basically always claimed it [Trump] says voter fraud, voter fraud – whether I, or anyone else – incites us to violence; that these words are fighting words because they are completely untrue, “Giuliani told ABC. Well, if you can prove it to be true, or at least true enough, so that it’s a legitimate point of view, then they are not fighting words anymore. “
Giuliani and Trump have been spreading unfounded claims about elections and voter fraud since the president lost the 2020 election to President-elect Joe Biden in November. The Trump campaign and Republican allies have launched dozens of lawsuits based on such claims, though none of them have been successful, and many have been fired for lack of relevant evidence.
The Department of Justice, and Bill Barr, Trump’s attorney general, also said in December that they found no evidence of widespread fraud that would change the outcome of the election.
Nevertheless, Giuliani and the president continued to spread these claims, including on January 6, the day of the US Capitol attack that is at the center of Trump’s accusation.
In a double vote, the House has for the second time charged Trump with “inciting insurrection” for his role in the attack, and the Senate will soon hold a trial and vote on the conviction or not.
Giuliani told ABC that he thinks Trump should first try to have the trial dismissed as “completely illegal”, in part because of its speedy execution.
He also said he would not “strongly oppose” Trump testifying during the trial, despite the president’s advocates being against him in his first indictment.
Giuliani did not respond to a request for comment.
On the day of the Capitol attack, Trump spoke during a demonstration in DC and asked thousands of his supporters to march to the Capitol, saying, “You will never take back our country with weakness.”
Giuliani also spoke to a crowd of Trump supporters that day, calling for a ‘trial through a fight’, shortly before the rioters stormed the Capitol. He later dismissed his comments as a reference to ‘Games of Thrones’.
The mob successfully breached the U.S. Capitol building, causing lawmakers to evacuate and killing five people, including a police officer.
The New York Times reported earlier this week that White House officials are angry with Giuliani and blame him for not one, but both for Trump’s accusations.
Although the former mayor of New York is apparently still in Trump’s favor, as Advisor Jason Miller tweeted On Thursday, the president said Giuliani ‘is a wonderful guy and a Patriot who has dedicated his services to the country!’
Giuliani was also seen in the White House on Saturday, ABC reported.