Editing Rudy Giuliani (section)

==== Personal lawyer ====
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In mid April 2018, Giuliani joined Trump's legal team, which dealt with the [[Mueller special counsel investigation|special counsel investigation]] by [[Robert Mueller]] into [[Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections]]. Giuliani said his goal was to negotiate a swift end to the investigation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/384028-giuliani-joins-trump-legal-team/|title=Giuliani joins Trump legal team|last=Fabian|first=Jordan|date=April 19, 2018|work=The Hill|access-date=May 5, 2018|archive-date=May 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180506040002/http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/384028-giuliani-joins-trump-legal-team|url-status=live}}</ref>

In early May, Giuliani made public that Trump had reimbursed his personal attorney [[Michael Cohen (lawyer)|Michael Cohen]] $130,000 that Cohen had paid to adult-film actress [[Stormy Daniels]] for her agreement not to talk about her alleged affair with Trump.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rudy-giuliani-trump-stormy-daniels_us_5aea6adee4b00f70f0eefbea|title=Giuliani Says Trump Repaid Lawyer For $130,000 Payment To Stormy Daniels|last=Visser|first=Nick|date=May 2, 2018|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=May 5, 2018|archive-date=May 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505021540/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rudy-giuliani-trump-stormy-daniels_us_5aea6adee4b00f70f0eefbea|url-status=live}}</ref> Cohen had earlier insisted he used his own money to pay Daniels, and he implied that he had not been reimbursed.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/03/09/trump-lawyer-michael-cohen-says-he-paid-stormy-daniels-his-home-equity-line/412335002/ |title=Trump lawyer Michael Cohen says he paid Stormy Daniels with his home-equity line |last=Schouten |first=Fredreka |date=March 10, 2018 |work=[[USA Today]] |access-date=May 5, 2018 |archive-date=May 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503140348/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/03/09/trump-lawyer-michael-cohen-says-he-paid-stormy-daniels-his-home-equity-line/412335002/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Trump had previously said he knew nothing about the matter.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/05/politics/donald-trump-stormy-daniels/index.html|title=Trump says he didn't know about Stormy Daniels payment|last=Liptak|first=Kevin|date=April 6, 2018|work=CNN|access-date=May 5, 2018|archive-date=May 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505021540/https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/05/politics/donald-trump-stormy-daniels/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Within a week, Giuliani said some of his own statements regarding this matter were "more rumor than anything else".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Goldschlag |first1=William |last2=Janison |first2=Dan |title=Giuliani: I'm still winging it on Trump's Stormy payoff story |url=https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/trump-giuliani-mueller-daniels-cohen-e96239 |date=May 7, 2018 |newspaper=[[Newsday]] |access-date=August 13, 2018 |archive-date=September 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929210301/https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/trump-giuliani-mueller-daniels-cohen-e96239 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Later in May 2018, Giuliani, who was asked on whether the promotion of the [[Spygate (conspiracy theory)|Spygate]] conspiracy theory is meant to discredit the special counsel investigation, said the investigators "are giving us the material to do it. Of course, we have to do it in defending the president{{spaces}}... it is for public opinion" on whether to "impeach or not impeach" Trump.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://fortune.com/2018/05/28/rudy-giuliani-spygate-mueller-investigation/|title='It Is for Public Opinion.' Rudy Giuliani May Have Admitted That Trump's 'Spygate' Is a PR Ploy|last=Bach|first=Natasha|date=May 28, 2018|work=Fortune|access-date=May 28, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180528143124/http://fortune.com/2018/05/28/rudy-giuliani-spygate-mueller-investigation/|archive-date=May 28, 2018}}</ref> In June 2018, Giuliani said that a sitting president cannot be indicted: "I don't know how you can indict while he's in office. No matter what it is. If President Trump shot [then-FBI director] [[James Comey]], he'd be impeached the next day. Impeach him, and then you can do whatever you want to do to him."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Date |first1=S.V. |title=Giuliani: Trump Could Have Shot Comey And Still Couldn't Be Indicted For It |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-shoot-comey_us_5b145897e4b02143b7cd633e |work=[[The Huffington Post]] |date=June 4, 2018 |access-date=June 4, 2018 |archive-date=June 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180604003949/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-shoot-comey_us_5b145897e4b02143b7cd633e |url-status=live }}</ref>

In June 2018, Giuliani also said Trump should not testify to the special counsel investigation because "our recollection keeps changing".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vazquez |first1=Maegan |title=Giuliani says Trump shouldn't testify because 'our recollection keeps changing' |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/03/politics/donald-trump-rudy-giuliani-jay-sekulow-recollection/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=June 3, 2018 |access-date=June 6, 2018 |archive-date=June 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180606022309/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/03/politics/donald-trump-rudy-giuliani-jay-sekulow-recollection/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In early July, Giuliani characterized that Trump had previously asked Comey to "give him [then-national security adviser Michael Flynn] a break". In mid-August, Giuliani denied making this comment: "What I said was, that is what Comey is saying Trump said."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vazquez |first1=Maegan |title=Giuliani: 'There was no conversation' between Trump and Comey on Flynn |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/12/politics/rudy-giuliani-michael-flynn-question-cnntv/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=August 13, 2018 |access-date=August 14, 2018 |archive-date=August 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814005820/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/12/politics/rudy-giuliani-michael-flynn-question-cnntv/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On August 19 on ''[[Meet the Press]]'', Giuliani argued that Trump should not testify to the special counsel investigation because Trump could be "trapped into [[perjury]]" just by telling "somebody's version of the truth. Not the truth." Giuliani's argument continued: "Truth isn't truth." Giuliani later clarified that he was "referring to the situation where two people make precisely contradictory statements".<ref>{{cite news |title=Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani defends 'truth isn't truth' remark |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45252493 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=August 20, 2018 |access-date=August 22, 2018 |archive-date=August 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180822012314/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45252493 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In late July, Giuliani defended Trump by saying "collusion is not a crime" and that Trump had done nothing wrong because he "didn't hack" or "pay for the hacking".<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Chait |first1=Jonathan |author1-link=Jonathan Chait |title=Rudy: Trump Is Innocent Because He Did Not Personally Hack Democratic Emails |url=https://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/07/rudy-trump-innocent-because-he-didnt-personally-hack-email.html |department=Daily Intelligencer |magazine=[[New York (magazine)|New York Magazine]] |date=July 30, 2018 |access-date=August 13, 2018 |archive-date=August 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813174904/http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/07/rudy-trump-innocent-because-he-didnt-personally-hack-email.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He later elaborated that his comments were a "very, very familiar lawyer's argument" to "attack the legitimacy of the special counsel investigation".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Blake |first1=Aaron |title=Rudy Giuliani keeps admitting that he's just saying stuff |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/07/31/rudolph-w-giuliani-keeps-admitting-that-hes-just-saying-stuff |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=July 31, 2018 |access-date=August 13, 2018 |archive-date=August 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814040234/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/07/31/rudolph-w-giuliani-keeps-admitting-that-hes-just-saying-stuff/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He also described and denied several supposed allegations that have never been publicly raised, regarding two earlier meetings among Trump campaign officials to set up the June 9, 2016, [[Trump Tower meeting]] with Russian citizens.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Cassidy |first1=John |title=What Is Rudy Giuliani Talking About? |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/what-is-rudy-giuliani-talking-about |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |date=June 30, 2018 |access-date=August 13, 2018 |archive-date=August 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180812201714/https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/what-is-rudy-giuliani-talking-about |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/07/30/giuliani-trump-tower-meeting-749871|title='Never happened': Giuliani walks back confusing claim of secret Trump Tower meeting|last=Morin|first=Rebecca|date=July 30, 2018|work=[[Politico]]|access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-date=July 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731110325/https://www.politico.com/story/2018/07/30/giuliani-trump-tower-meeting-749871|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rudy-giuliani-fox-news-trump-tower_us_5b5f4400e4b0fd5c73d1d5f3|title=Rudy Giuliani Stuns Fox News Hosts With Rambling Account Of Trump Tower Meetings|last=Miller|first=Hayley|date=July 30, 2018|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-date=August 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801121642/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rudy-giuliani-fox-news-trump-tower_us_5b5f4400e4b0fd5c73d1d5f3|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/7/30/17630148/giuliani-trump-tower-cohen-mueller-russia|title=Rudy Giuliani's rambling new statements on Michael Cohen and the Trump Tower meeting, decoded|last=Prokop|first=Andrew|date=July 30, 2018|work=Vox|access-date=August 1, 2018|archive-date=July 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731111144/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/7/30/17630148/giuliani-trump-tower-cohen-mueller-russia|url-status=live}}</ref> In late August, Giuliani said the June 9, 2016, Trump Tower "meeting was originally for the purpose of getting information about Hillary Clinton".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Samuels |first1=Brett |title=Giuliani: Trump Tower meeting was 'originally for the purpose of getting information about Clinton' |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/402524-giuliani-trump-tower-meeting-was-originally-for-the-purpose-of/ |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |date=August 19, 2018 |access-date=August 22, 2018 |archive-date=August 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821202244/http://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/402524-giuliani-trump-tower-meeting-was-originally-for-the-purpose-of |url-status=live }}</ref>

Additionally in late July, Giuliani attacked Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen as an "incredible liar", two months after calling Cohen an "honest, honorable lawyer".<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Krawczyk |first1=Kathryn |title=Rudy Giuliani called Michael Cohen an 'honest, honorable lawyer' in May. Now, he's an 'incredible liar'. |url=https://theweek.com/speedreads/787243/rudy-giuliani-called-michael-cohen-honest-honorable-lawyer-may-now-hes-incredible-liar |magazine=[[The Week]] |date=July 27, 2018 |access-date=August 13, 2018 |archive-date=August 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180812225023/http://theweek.com/speedreads/787243/rudy-giuliani-called-michael-cohen-honest-honorable-lawyer-may-now-hes-incredible-liar |url-status=live }}</ref> In mid-August, Giuliani defended Trump by saying: "The president's an honest man."<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Kasperowicz |first1=Pete |title=Rudy Giuliani: No chance Mueller has anything on Trump |url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/rudy-giuliani-no-chance-mueller-has-anything-on-trump |magazine=[[The Washington Examiner]] |date=August 13, 2018 |access-date=August 14, 2018 |archive-date=August 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814012527/https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/rudy-giuliani-no-chance-mueller-has-anything-on-trump |url-status=live }}</ref>

It was reported in early September that Giuliani said the White House could and likely would prevent the special counsel investigation from making public certain information in its final report which would be covered by executive privilege. Also according to Giuliani, Trump's personal legal team is already preparing a "counter-report" to refute the potential special counsel investigation's report.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Toobin |first1=Jeffrey |title=How Rudy Giuliani Turned Into Trump's Clown |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/09/10/how-rudy-giuliani-turned-into-trumps-clown |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |author-link=Jeffrey Toobin |date=September 10, 2018 |access-date=September 11, 2022 |archive-date=January 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106213144/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/09/10/how-rudy-giuliani-turned-into-trumps-clown |url-status=live }}</ref>

Giuliani privately urged Trump in 2017 to extradite [[Fethullah Gülen]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/giuliani-pressed-trump-to-eject-muslim-cleric-from-us-a-top-priority-of-turkish-president-former-officials-say/2019/10/15/bf43d1ec-ef68-11e9-b648-76bcf86eb67e_story.html |access-date=September 11, 2022 |date=October 15, 2019 |title=Giuliani pressed Trump to eject Muslim cleric from U.S., a top priority of Turkish president, former officials say |first1=Carol D. |last1=Leonnig |first2=Ellen |last2=Nakashima |first3=Josh |last3=Dawsey |first4=Tom |last4=Hamburger |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=December 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201225065952/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/giuliani-pressed-trump-to-eject-muslim-cleric-from-us-a-top-priority-of-turkish-president-former-officials-say/2019/10/15/bf43d1ec-ef68-11e9-b648-76bcf86eb67e_story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In late 2019, Giuliani represented Venezuelan businessman [[Alejandro Betancourt López|Alejandro Betancourt]], meeting with the [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Department]] to ask not to bring charges against him.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Helderman |first1=Rosalind S. |last2=Barrett |first2=Devlin |last3=Zapotosky |first3=Matt |last4=Hamburger |first4=Tom |date=November 26, 2019 |title=A wealthy Venezuelan hosted Giuliani as he pursued Ukraine campaign. Then Giuliani lobbied the Justice Department on his behalf. |language=en-US |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-wealthy-venezuelan-hosted-giuliani-as-he-pursued-ukraine-campaign-then-giuliani-lobbied-the-justice-department-on-his-behalf/2019/11/26/272105a2-0ec5-11ea-b0fc-62cc38411ebb_story.html |access-date=November 20, 2020 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=November 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117222802/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/a-wealthy-venezuelan-hosted-giuliani-as-he-pursued-ukraine-campaign-then-giuliani-lobbied-the-justice-department-on-his-behalf/2019/11/26/272105a2-0ec5-11ea-b0fc-62cc38411ebb_story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In an interview with [[Olivia Nuzzi]] in ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'' magazine, Giuliani, who is a Roman Catholic of Italian descent, said: "Don't tell me I'm anti-Semitic if I oppose George Soros{{spaces}}... I'm more of a Jew than Soros is." [[George Soros]] is a Hungarian-born [[Jews|Jew]] who survived [[the Holocaust]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/12/23/rudy-giuliani-asks-not-be-called-anti-semitic-right-saying-im-more-jew-george-soros |access-date=September 11, 2022 |title=Rudy Giuliani Asks Not To Be Called Anti-Semitic Right Before Saying, 'I'm More of a Jew Than [George] Soros' |first=Eoin |last=Higgins |work=Common Dreams |date=December 23, 2019 |archive-date=August 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807042942/https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/12/23/rudy-giuliani-asks-not-be-called-anti-semitic-right-saying-im-more-jew-george-soros |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/rudy-giuliani-says-more-of-a-jew-george-soros-report-2019-12 |title=Rudy Giuliani insists he's 'more of a Jew' than George Soros, who survived the Holocaust |first=Sonam |last=Seth |work=[[Business Insider]] |date=December 23, 2019 |access-date=September 11, 2022 |archive-date=November 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125031940/https://www.businessinsider.com/rudy-giuliani-says-more-of-a-jew-george-soros-report-2019-12 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Anti-Defamation League]] replied, "Mr. Giuliani should apologize and retract his comments immediately unless he seeks to [[dog-whistle politics|dog whistle]] to hardcore anti-Semites and white supremacists who believe this garbage."<ref>{{cite news |website=[[The Daily Beast]] |title=Anti-Defamation League Slams Rudy Giuliani for Claiming George Soros Is 'Hardly a Jew' |date=December 23, 2019 |last=Baragona |first=Justin |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/anti-defamation-league-slams-rudy-giuliani-for-claiming-george-soros-is-hardly-a-jew |access-date=September 11, 2022 |archive-date=September 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220911173008/https://www.thedailybeast.com/anti-defamation-league-slams-rudy-giuliani-for-claiming-george-soros-is-hardly-a-jew |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the last days of the Trump administration, when White House aides were soliciting fees to lobby for presidential pardons,<ref name="Schmidt-2021">{{cite news|last1=Schmidt|first1=Michael S.|last2=Vogel|first2=Kenneth P.|date=January 17, 2021|title=Prospect of Pardons in Final Days Fuels Market to Buy Access to Trump|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/17/us/politics/trump-pardons.html|access-date=January 21, 2021|newspaper=The New York Times|archive-date=January 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120160733/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/17/us/politics/trump-pardons.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Giuliani said that while he'd heard that large fees were being offered, he did not work on clemency cases, saying "I have enough money. I'm not starving."<ref name="Schmidt-2021" />

As of February 16, 2021, Giuliani was reportedly not actively involved in any of Trump's pending legal cases.<ref name="Acosta-2021">{{cite news|last1=Acosta|first1=Jim|last2=LeBlanc|first2=Paul|date=February 18, 2021|title=Giuliani not currently representing Trump 'in any legal matters,' adviser says|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/16/politics/rudy-giuliani-donald-trump/index.html|access-date=February 19, 2021|website=CNN|archive-date=February 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227180415/https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/16/politics/rudy-giuliani-donald-trump/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

By 2023, Giuliani had reportedly incurred seven-figure legal fees in cases related to Donald Trump and the [[Attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election|attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election]]. In April 2023, Giuliani and his lawyer Robert Costello met twice with Trump at [[Mar-a-Lago]] to ask him for money. In response, a Trump PAC paid $340,000 toward Giuliani's data storage bill.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dicker |first=Ron |date=August 17, 2023 |title=Rudy Giuliani Went To Mar-A-Lago On A Humiliating Mission: CNN |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rudy-giuliani-begged-donald-trump-money_n_64de0842e4b00205f646e8b2 |access-date=August 17, 2023 |website=HuffPost |language=en |archive-date=August 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817145445/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rudy-giuliani-begged-donald-trump-money_n_64de0842e4b00205f646e8b2 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Reid |first=Paula |date=2023-09-07 |title=Giuliani facing millions of dollars in unpaid legal bills ahead of fundraiser hosted by Trump |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/07/politics/giuliani-millions-unpaid-legal-bills-trump-fundraiser-bedminster/index.html |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=CNN |language=en |archive-date=September 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230907235323/https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/07/politics/giuliani-millions-unpaid-legal-bills-trump-fundraiser-bedminster/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On February 7, 2024, when Giuliani appeared in court to discuss his bankruptcy case, he told a U.S. Trustee attorney that he was owed about $2 million by the Trump campaign and the [[Republican National Committee|RNC]]. He said the Trump campaign "just paid the expenses. Not all, but most. They never paid the legal fees." He said he did not wish to hold Donald Trump personally responsible for this bill.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blanchet |first=Ben |date=2024-02-08 |title=Rudy Giuliani Makes Big Confession About Trump Campaign In Bankruptcy Court |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rudy-giuliani-donald-trump-rnc-legal-fees_n_65c49c9be4b069b665de3a43 |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=HuffPost |language=en |archive-date=February 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240208145137/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rudy-giuliani-donald-trump-rnc-legal-fees_n_65c49c9be4b069b665de3a43 |url-status=live }}</ref>  On July 12, 2024, his bankruptcy case was dismissed, and he was not allowed to file for bankruptcy again for one year.<ref name="Kates-2024">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rudy-giuliani-bankruptcy-case-dismissed-creditors/|title=Judge dismisses Rudy Giuliani's bankruptcy case, clearing way for collectors to pursue debts|last=Kates|first=Graham|date=July 12, 2024|access-date=July 12, 2024|website=CBS News|language=en|archive-date=July 12, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240712193549/https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/rudy-giuliani-bankruptcy-case-dismissed-creditors/|url-status=live}}</ref>