Editing Rudy Giuliani (section)

=== Attempts to get Ukraine to carry out investigations ===
{{further|Trump–Ukraine scandal}}
{{Trump–Ukraine scandal}}

Since at least May 2019, Giuliani has been urging Ukraine's newly elected president, [[Volodymyr Zelensky]], to investigate the oil company [[Burisma Holdings|Burisma]], whose board of directors once included [[Joe Biden]]'s son [[Hunter Biden]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pinkington |first1=Ed |last2=Roth |first2=Andrew |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/sep/29/rudy-giuliani-ukraine-biden-trump-impeachment |title=Rudy Giuliani: Ukraine sources detail attempt to construct case against Biden |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=September 29, 2019 |access-date=October 2, 2019 |archive-date=October 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031121708/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/sep/29/rudy-giuliani-ukraine-biden-trump-impeachment |url-status=live }}</ref> and to check for irregularities in Ukraine's investigation of [[Paul Manafort]]. He said such investigations would benefit his client's defense, and that his efforts had Trump's full support.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/us/politics/giuliani-ukraine-trump.html|title=Rudy Giuliani Plans Ukraine Trip to Push for Inquiries That Could Help Trump|last=Vogel|first=Kenneth P.|date=May 9, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=September 20, 2019|archive-date=September 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904134954/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/us/politics/giuliani-ukraine-trump.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Toward this end, Giuliani met with Ukrainian officials throughout 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-defends-conversation-with-ukraine-leader-11568993176|title=Trump Repeatedly Pressed Ukraine President to Investigate Biden's Son|last1=Cullison|first1=Alan|date=September 20, 2019|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=September 21, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190921014320/https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-defends-conversation-with-ukraine-leader-11568993176|archive-date=September 21, 2019|last2=Ballhaus|first2=Rebecca|last3=Volz|first3=Dustin|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name="Ballhaus-2021">{{Cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/rudy-giulianis-contacts-with-former-ukrainian-officials-sought-11619823795 |title=Rudy Giuliani's Contacts With Former Ukrainian Officials Sought |first1=Rebecca |last1=Ballhaus |first2=Rebecca Davis |last2=O'Brien |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=May 1, 2021 |access-date=July 1, 2022 |archive-date=June 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601052828/https://www.wsj.com/articles/rudy-giulianis-contacts-with-former-ukrainian-officials-sought-11619823795 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Stern-2019">{{cite news |last1=Stern |first1=David |title=Ukraine lawmaker seeking Biden probe meets with Giuliani in Kyiv |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/ukraine-lawmaker-seeking-biden-probe-meets-with-giuliani-in-kyiv/2019/12/05/ead06eae-175b-11ea-80d6-d0ca7007273f_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 5, 2019 |access-date=May 23, 2023 |archive-date=March 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327113129/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/ukraine-lawmaker-seeking-biden-probe-meets-with-giuliani-in-kyiv/2019/12/05/ead06eae-175b-11ea-80d6-d0ca7007273f_story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In July 2019, ''[[Buzzfeed News]]'' reported that two Soviet-born Americans, [[Lev Parnas]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/09/27/765026582/meet-the-businessman-helping-giuliani-find-dirt-on-democrats-in-ukraine |title=Meet The Businessman Helping Giuliani Try To Find Dirt On Democrats In Ukraine |last=Brady |first=Jeff |date=September 27, 2019 |website=npr.org |access-date=September 28, 2019 |archive-date=September 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928000145/https://www.npr.org/2019/09/27/765026582/meet-the-businessman-helping-giuliani-find-dirt-on-democrats-in-ukraine |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Igor Fruman]], were liaisons between Giuliani and Ukrainian government officials in this effort. [[Lev Parnas|Parnas]] and Fruman, prolific Republican donors, have neither registered as foreign agents in the United States, nor been evaluated and approved by the State Department.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sallah |first1=Michael |last2=Kozyreva |first2=Tanya |last3=Belford |first3=Aubrey |title=Two Unofficial US Operatives Reporting To Trump's Lawyer Privately Lobbied A Foreign Government In A Bid To Help The President Win In 2020 |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/mikesallah/rudy-giuliani-ukraine-trump-parnas-fruman |website=[[Buzzfeed News]] |access-date=July 23, 2019 |date=July 22, 2019 |archive-date=July 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722212459/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/mikesallah/rudy-giuliani-ukraine-trump-parnas-fruman |url-status=live }}</ref> Giuliani responded, "This (report) is a pathetic effort to cover up what are enormous allegations of criminality by the Biden family."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Budryk |first1=Zack |title=Ukrainian officials and Giuliani are sharing back-channel campaign information: report |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/454133-ukrainian-officials-and-giuliani-are-sharing-back-channel-campaign/ |website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |access-date=July 23, 2019 |date=July 22, 2019 |archive-date=July 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722232929/https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/454133-ukrainian-officials-and-giuliani-are-sharing-back-channel-campaign |url-status=live }}</ref> Yet by September 2019, there had been no clear evidence of wrongdoing by the Bidens.<ref>Multiple sources:
* {{cite news |title=Trump: I want to meet my accuser |url=https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/trump-i-want-meet-my-accuser-doc-1kt4vy4 |access-date=October 1, 2019 |date=September 30, 2019 |agency=[[Agence France Presse]] |quote=US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he wants and deserves to meet the anonymous whistleblower at the center of the fast-moving scandal that has triggered an impeachment probe against him{{spaces}}... Brandishing what he said were affidavits incriminating Biden's son Hunter over his work at a Ukrainian company, Giuliani said Trump was duty bound to raise the issue with Kiev. Trump and his allies claim Biden, as Barack Obama's vice president, pressured Kiev to fire the country's top prosecutor to protect his son Hunter, who sat on the board of a gas company, Burisma Holdings, accused of corrupt practices. Those allegations have largely been debunked and there has been no evidence of illegal conduct or wrongdoing in Ukraine by the Bidens. |archive-date=October 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001233014/https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/trump-i-want-meet-my-accuser-doc-1kt4vy4 |url-status=live }}
* {{cite news |last1=Matthias |first1=Williams |last2=Polityuk |first2=Pavel |title=Zelenskiy opponents say comments about Europeans to Trump could hurt Ukraine |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-trump-whistleblower-lawmaker-idAFL5N26H3HV |access-date=October 1, 2019 |work=[[Reuters]] |date=September 26, 2019 |quote=Trump pressed Zelenskiy to investigate the business dealings of the son of his political rival, former vice president Joe Biden, the Democratic front-runner to challenge Trump in an election next year. Zelenskiy agreed. Biden's son Hunter worked for a company drilling for gas in Ukraine. There has been no evidence of wrongdoing by either Biden. |archive-date=October 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001005323/https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-trump-whistleblower-lawmaker-idAFL5N26H3HV |url-status=live }}
* {{cite news |last1=Isachenkov |first1=Vladimir |title=Ukraine's prosecutor says there is no probe into Biden |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/ukraines-prosecutor-says-there-is-no-probe-into-biden |access-date=October 1, 2019 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=September 27, 2019 |quote=Though the timing raised concerns among anti-corruption advocates, there has been no evidence of wrongdoing by either the former vice president or his son. |archive-date=October 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001005328/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/ukraines-prosecutor-says-there-is-no-probe-into-biden |url-status=live }}
* {{cite news |title=White House 'tried to cover up details of Trump-Ukraine call' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49842895 |access-date=October 1, 2019 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=September 26, 2019 |quote=There is no evidence of any wrongdoing by the Bidens. |archive-date=September 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930105132/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49842895 |url-status=live }}
* {{cite news |last1=Timm |first1=Jane |title=There's no evidence for Trump's Biden-Ukraine accusations. What really happened? |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/there-s-no-evidence-trump-s-biden-ukraine-accusations-what-n1057851 |access-date=October 1, 2019 |work=[[NBC News]] |date=September 25, 2019 |quote=But despite Trump's continued claims, there's no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of either Biden. |archive-date=October 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001005034/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/there-s-no-evidence-trump-s-biden-ukraine-accusations-what-n1057851 |url-status=live }}</ref>

As of October 1, 2019, Giuliani hired former [[Watergate scandal|Watergate]] prosecutor Jon Sale to represent him in the House Intelligence Committee's impeachment investigation.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/10/01/rudy-giuliani-hires-attorney-trump-impeachment-probe-015172 |title=Giuliani hires Watergate prosecutor to represent him in House impeachment probe |newspaper=[[Politico]] |date=October 1, 2019 |first=Darren |last=Samuelsohn |access-date=October 1, 2019 |archive-date=October 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002001921/https://www.politico.com/news/2019/10/01/rudy-giuliani-hires-attorney-trump-impeachment-probe-015172 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.axios.com/rudy-giuliani-lawyer-ukraine-investigation-7b8fd109-d9da-45c4-a689-bfd9b1a50f2c.html |title=Giuliani hires attorney to represent him in Ukraine investigation |website=[[Axios (website)|Axios]] |date=October 1, 2019 |first=Zachary |last=Basu |access-date=October 1, 2019 |archive-date=October 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002001923/https://www.axios.com/rudy-giuliani-lawyer-ukraine-investigation-7b8fd109-d9da-45c4-a689-bfd9b1a50f2c.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The committee also issued a subpoena to Giuliani asking him to release documents related to the Ukraine scandal.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/30/us/politics/impeach-giuliani-subpoena.html |title=House Subpoenas Giuliani, Trump's Lawyer, for Ukraine Records |access-date=May 23, 2023 |first=Nicholas |last=Fandos |author-link=Nicholas Fandos |date=September 30, 2019 |work=The New York Times |archive-date=December 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201213142440/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/30/us/politics/impeach-giuliani-subpoena.html |url-status=live }}</ref> ''The New York Times'' reported on October 11, 2019, that the [[United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York]], which Giuliani had once led, was investigating him for violating lobbying laws related to his activities in Ukraine.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Schmidt|first1=Michael S.|last2=Protess|first2=Ben|last3=Vogel|first3=Kenneth P.|last4=Rashbaum|first4=William K.|date=October 11, 2019|title=Giuliani is said to be under investigation for Ukraine work|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/11/us/politics/rudy-giuliani-investigation.html|access-date=October 16, 2019|archive-date=October 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221014123938/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/11/us/politics/rudy-giuliani-investigation.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The following month, ''Bloomberg News'' reported that the investigation could extend to bribery of foreign officials or conspiracy, and ''The Wall Street Journal'' reported Giuliani was being investigated for a possible profit motive in a Ukrainian natural gas venture.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Strohm|first1=Chris|last2=Fabian|first2=Jordan|date=November 14, 2019|title=Giuliani faces U.S. probe on campaign finance, lobbying breaches|work=Bloomberg|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-15/giuliani-faces-u-s-probe-on-campaign-finance-lobbying-breaches|access-date=November 15, 2019|archive-date=October 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016174212/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-15/giuliani-faces-u-s-probe-on-campaign-finance-lobbying-breaches|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-prosecutors-probe-giulianis-links-to-ukrainian-energy-projects-11573837576?mod=hp_lead_pos6 |title=Federal Prosecutors Probe Giuliani's Links to Ukrainian Energy Projects |date=November 15, 2019 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |first=Rebecca Davis |last=O'Brien |access-date=November 25, 2019 |archive-date=December 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231160021/https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-prosecutors-probe-giulianis-links-to-ukrainian-energy-projects-11573837576?mod=hp_lead_pos6 |url-status=live }}</ref> Giuliani has denied having any interest in a Ukrainian natural gas venture.<ref name="Musto-2019" /> In late November, the ''Wall Street Journal'' reported that federal prosecutors had just issued subpoenas to multiple associates of Giuliani to potentially investigate certain individuals, apparently including Giuliani, on numerous potential charges, including money laundering, obstruction of justice, conspiracy to defraud the United States, making false statements to the federal government, and mail/wire fraud.<ref>{{cite news |first=Tim |last=O'Donnell |url=https://theweek.com/speedreads/880880/money-laundering-conspiracy-defraud-reportedly-among-charges-under-consideration-investigation-related-rudy-giuliani |title=Rudy on the ropes: Money laundering, conspiracy to defraud U.S. reportedly among charges under consideration in investigation related to Rudy Giuliani |work=[[The Week]] online |date=November 25, 2019 |access-date=May 22, 2023 |archive-date=December 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201211112749/https://theweek.com/speedreads/880880/money-laundering-conspiracy-defraud-reportedly-among-charges-under-consideration-investigation-related-rudy-giuliani |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="O'Brien-2019"/>

Parnas and Fruman were arrested for campaign finance violations<ref>{{cite news |first1=Devlin |last1=Barrett |first2=John |last2=Wagner |title=Two business associates of Trump's personal lawyer Giuliani have been arrested on campaign finance charges |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=October 10, 2019 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/two-business-associates-of-trumps-personal-lawyer-giuliani-have-been-arrested-and-are-in-custody/2019/10/10/9f9c101a-eb63-11e9-9306-47cb0324fd44_story.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20191010142412/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/two-business-associates-of-trumps-personal-lawyer-giuliani-have-been-arrested-and-are-in-custody/2019/10/10/9f9c101a-eb63-11e9-9306-47cb0324fd44_story.html |archive-date=October 10, 2019 |url-status=live |access-date=October 10, 2019 }}</ref> while attempting to board a one-way flight to Frankfurt<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Orden |first=Erica |user=eorden |number=1182368717373673473 |date=October 10, 2019 |title=The two Giuliani associates detained yesterday at Dulles were en route to Frankfurt to connect to another flight, according to a law enforcement source, per @ShimonPro. Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman purchased their one-way tickets recently, the source said. |access-date=20 December 2023 }}</ref> from [[Washington Dulles International Airport]] on October 9, 2019.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Faulders |first=Katherine |user=KFaulders |number=1182305091346452480 |date=October 10, 2019 |title=Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman were arrested at Dulles International airport last night as they attempted to leave the country, a DOJ official tells @PierreTABC. AG Barr was told last night they were being arrested. |access-date=May 25, 2023 }}</ref> Giuliani was paid $500,000 to consult for Lev Parnas's company named "Fraud Guarantee".<ref>Multiple sources:
* {{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/11/us/politics/rudy-giuliani-investigation.html|title=Giuliani Is Said to Be Under Investigation for Ukraine Work|last1=Schmidt|first1=Michael S.|date=October 11, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 10, 2019|last2=Protess|first2=Ben|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|last3=Vogel|first3=Kenneth P.|last4=Rashbaum|first4=William K.|archive-date=October 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221014123938/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/11/us/politics/rudy-giuliani-investigation.html|url-status=live}}
* {{Cite news|date=October 15, 2019|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/giuliani-was-paid-500000-by-company-owned-by-two-arrested-associates/2019/10/15/8a2c669a-ef4f-11e9-89eb-ec56cd414732_story.html|title=Giuliani was paid $500,000 by company founded by arrested associate|last=Dawsey|first=Josh|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en|access-date=November 10, 2019|archive-date=November 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191120130409/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/giuliani-was-paid-500000-by-company-owned-by-two-arrested-associates/2019/10/15/8a2c669a-ef4f-11e9-89eb-ec56cd414732_story.html|url-status=live}}
* {{Cite news |first1=Karen |last1=Freifeld |first2=Aram |last2=Roston |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-whistleblower-giuliani-excl-idUSKBN1WU07Z |title=Exclusive: Trump lawyer Giuliani was paid $500,000 to consult on indicted associate's firm |date=October 16, 2019 |work=[[Reuters]] |access-date=November 10, 2019 |language=en |archive-date=January 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131023430/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-whistleblower-giuliani-excl-idUSKBN1WU07Z |url-status=live}}
* {{cite news|first=Allan|last=Smith|date=October 14, 2019|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/giuliani-says-he-has-nothing-do-oligarch-edges-trump-ukraine-n1065826|title=Giuliani says he has 'nothing to do with' oligarch at edges of Trump-Ukraine affair|website=NBC News|language=en|access-date=November 10, 2019|archive-date=November 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109085921/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/giuliani-says-he-has-nothing-do-oligarch-edges-trump-ukraine-n1065826|url-status=live}}
* {{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/rudy-giulianis-relationship-arrested-men-subject-criminal-investigation/story?id=66212654|title=Rudy Giuliani's relationship with arrested men is subject of criminal investigation: Sources|last1=Katersky|first1=Aaron|date=October 11, 2019|access-date=October 11, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011164943/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/rudy-giulianis-relationship-arrested-men-subject-criminal-investigation/story?id=66212654|archive-date=October 11, 2019|work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|last2=Margolin|first2=Josh}}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.axios.com/2019/10/15/indicted-giuliani-associate-firm-paid-him-500000 |title=Giuliani says he was paid $500,000 to work for indicted associate's firm Fraud Guarantee |website=Axios |first=Rebecca |last=Falconer |date=October 15, 2019 |language=en |access-date=November 10, 2019 |archive-date=July 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701121545/https://www.axios.com/2019/10/15/indicted-giuliani-associate-firm-paid-him-500000 |url-status=live }}
* {{cite news |date=October 15, 2019 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/10/15/trump-lawyer-rudy-giuliani-ukraine-business-investigation/3986079002/ |access-date=December 12, 2019 |title=Federal investigators have been looking into Giuliani's dealings in Ukraine since early 2019 |first1=Kevin |last1=McCoy |first2=Kevin |last2=Johnson |work=[[USA Today]] |archive-date=November 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112045059/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/10/15/trump-lawyer-rudy-giuliani-ukraine-business-investigation/3986079002/ |url-status=live }}
* {{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-prosecutors-scrutinize-rudy-giuliani-s-ukraine-business-dealings-finances-11571092100|title=Federal Prosecutors Scrutinize Rudy Giuliani's Ukraine Business Dealings, Finances|last1=Viswanatha|first1=Aruna|last2=O'Brien|first2=Rebecca Davis|website=The Wall Street Journal|language=en-US|access-date=November 10, 2019|last3=Ballhaus|first3=Rebecca|date=October 15, 2019|archive-date=November 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107023901/https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-prosecutors-scrutinize-rudy-giuliani-s-ukraine-business-dealings-finances-11571092100|url-status=live}}</ref> Republican donor and Trump supporter Long Island attorney Charles Gucciardo paid Giuliani on behalf of Fraud Guarantee in two $250,000 payments, in September and October 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/06/us/politics/ukraine-giuliani-charles-gucciardo.html|title=Behind the Deal That Put Giuliani Together With a Dirt-Hunting Partner|last1=Vogel|first1=Kenneth P.|date=November 6, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 10, 2019|last2=Protess|first2=Ben|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|last3=Nir|first3=Sarah Maslin|archive-date=November 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109202915/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/06/us/politics/ukraine-giuliani-charles-gucciardo.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment-giuliani-idUSKBN1XH29L |first=Karen |last=Freifeld |title=New York lawyer is source of $500,000 paid to Trump attorney Giuliani |date=November 8, 2019 |work=[[Reuters]] |access-date=November 10, 2019 |language=en |archive-date=November 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110024927/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment-giuliani-idUSKBN1XH29L |url-status=live }}</ref> Fruman eventually pled guilty in September 2021 to having solicited a contribution by a foreign national.<ref>{{cite news |last=Orden |first=Erica |date=September 10, 2021 |title=Giuliani associate Igor Fruman pleads guilty to solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/10/politics/igor-fruman-plea/index.html |access-date=September 10, 2021 |website=CNN |archive-date=September 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210913105253/https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/10/politics/igor-fruman-plea/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In May 2019, Giuliani described Ukraine's chief prosecutor [[Yuriy Lutsenko]] as a "much more honest guy" than his predecessor, Viktor Shokin. After Lutsenko was removed from office, he said in September 2019 that he found no evidence of wrongdoing by the Bidens, and that he had met Giuliani about ten times. Giuliani then reversed his stance, saying that Shokin is the one people "should have spoken to", while Lutsenko acted "corruptly" and "is exactly the prosecutor that Joe Biden put {{Not a typo|in |in}} order to tank the case".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Przybyla |first1=Heidi |last2=Smith |first2=Allan |title=Giuliani turns on 'honest' Ukrainian prosecutor who says Bidens did nothing illegal |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/giuliani-turns-honest-ukrainian-prosecutor-who-says-bidens-did-nothing-n1060941 |access-date=October 2, 2019 |work=[[NBC News]] |date=October 2, 2019 |archive-date=October 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002011932/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/giuliani-turns-honest-ukrainian-prosecutor-who-says-bidens-did-nothing-n1060941 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In September 2019, as reports surfaced that a whistleblower was alleging high-level misconduct related to Ukraine, Giuliani went on CNN to discuss the story. When asked if he had tried to get Ukrainian officials to investigate Biden, he initially replied "No, actually I didn't", but thirty seconds later said, "Of course I did".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/462277-giuliani-says-of-course-he-asked-ukraine-to-look-into-biden-seconds/|title=Giuliani says 'of course' he asked Ukraine to look into Biden seconds after denying it|last=Frazin|first=Rachel|date=September 19, 2019|work=The Hill|access-date=September 20, 2019|archive-date=September 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920051724/https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/462277-giuliani-says-of-course-he-asked-ukraine-to-look-into-biden-seconds|url-status=live}}</ref> In a later tweet he seemed to confirm reports that Trump had withheld military assistance funds scheduled for Ukraine unless they carried out the investigation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.vox.com/2019/9/20/20875471/rudy-giuliani-chris-cuomo-cnn-meltdown-trump-ukraine-cnn|title=Rudy Giuliani's viral CNN meltdown over Trump and Ukraine, briefly explained|last=Rupar|first=Aaron|date=September 20, 2019|work=Vox|access-date=September 20, 2019|archive-date=September 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920201949/https://www.vox.com/2019/9/20/20875471/rudy-giuliani-chris-cuomo-cnn-meltdown-trump-ukraine-cnn|url-status=live}}</ref> He said, "The reality is that the president of the United States, whoever he is, has every right to tell the president of another country you better straighten out the corruption in your country if you want me to give you a lot of money. If you're so damn corrupt that you can't investigate allegations{{snd}}our money is going to get squandered."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/20/politics/donald-trump-whistleblower/index.html|title=New revelations deepen scandal over Trump whistleblower complaint|last=Collinson|first=Stephen|date=September 12, 2019|work=CNN|access-date=September 20, 2019|archive-date=September 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925013345/https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/20/politics/donald-trump-whistleblower/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Tom Bossert]], a former [[Homeland Security Advisor]] in the Trump administration, described Giuliani's theory that Ukraine was involved in 2016 U.S. election interference as "debunked"; Giuliani responded that Bossert "doesn't know what the hell he's talking about".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Samuels |first1=Brett |last2=Chaflant |first2=Morgan |title=GOP uneasy with Giuliani |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/463940-gop-uneasy-with-giuliani/ |access-date=October 2, 2019 |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |date=October 1, 2019 |archive-date=October 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002050216/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/463940-gop-uneasy-with-giuliani |url-status=live }}</ref>

On September 30, 2019, the House Intelligence Committee issued a subpoena to Giuliani asking him to release documents concerning the Ukraine scandal to Committee members by October 15, 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/30/politics/giuliani-hpsci-subpoena-letter-/index.html|title=READ: Letter from House Democrats announcing subpoena for Rudy Giuliani|website=CNN|date=September 30, 2019|access-date=July 1, 2022|archive-date=November 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130014756/https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/30/politics/giuliani-hpsci-subpoena-letter-/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On October 2, 2019, [[Steve Linick]], the State Department's inspector general, delivered a 40-page packet of apparent disinformation regarding former vice president [[Joe Biden]] and former ambassador to Ukraine, [[Marie Yovanovitch]], to Capitol Hill. Linick told congressional aides his office questioned [[Ulrich Brechbuhl]], Pompeo's advisor about the origins of the packet. Brechbuhl noted the packet came to him from [[Mike Pompeo|Pompeo]], who said it "came over", and Brechbuhl reportedly presumed it was from the White House. Later that day, Giuliani acknowledged he passed the packet to Pompeo regarding Ukraine and attacks on Yovanovitch. In a November 2019 interview he confirmed that he had "needed Yovanovitch out of the way" because she was going to make his investigations difficult.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/12/23/the-ukrainian-prosecutor-behind-trumps-impeachment|title=The Ukrainian Prosecutor Behind Trump's Impeachment|last=Entous|first=Adam|date=December 16, 2019|magazine=The New Yorker|access-date=December 16, 2019|archive-date=December 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216214723/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/12/23/the-ukrainian-prosecutor-behind-trumps-impeachment|url-status=live}}</ref> "They (the State Department) told me they would investigate it," Giuliani added.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/10/02/state-department-inspector-general-urgent-ukraine-briefing/3840218002/ |title='Mysterious' packet of Ukraine disinformation arrives on Capitol Hill amid Trump impeachment inquiry |last1=Shesgreen |first1=Deirdre |last2=Wu |first2=Nicholas |date=October 2, 2019 |website=[[USA Today]] |language=en-US |access-date=November 10, 2019 |last3=Cummings |first3=William }}</ref> Giuliani persuaded Trump to remove Yovanovitch from office in spring 2019. By April 2021, the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan was investigating the role of Giuliani and his associates in Yovanovitch's removal.<ref name="Ballhaus-2021"/><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/29/nyregion/giuliani-yovanovitch-search-warrant-ukraine.html |title=Firing of U.S. Ambassador Is at Center of Giuliani Investigation |access-date=May 23, 2023 |first1=Ben |last1=Protess |first2=William K. |last2=Rashbaum |first3=Kenneth P. |last3=Vogel |newspaper=The New York Times |date=April 29, 2021}}</ref>

[[United States Ambassador to the European Union|U.S. ambassador to the European Union]] [[Gordon Sondland]] testified that Trump delegated American foreign policy on Ukraine to Giuliani.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/17/us/politics/gordon-sondland-testimony.html|title=Gordon Sondland, E.U. Envoy, Testifies Trump Delegated Ukraine Policy to Giuliani|last1=Fandos|first1=Nicholas|date=October 17, 2019|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=November 10, 2019|last2=Schmidt|first2=Michael S.|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The late 2019 [[impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump]] centered around Giuliani's actions involving Ukraine. In the compiled testimony and in the December reports of the [[House Intelligence Committee]], Giuliani's name was mentioned more than any but Trump's.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/08/us/politics/giuliani-trump-impeachment.html|title=The Indispensable Man: How Giuliani Led Trump to the Brink of Impeachment|last1=Dwyer|first1=Jim|date=December 8, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 9, 2019|last2=Becker|first2=Jo|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|last3=Vogel|first3=Kenneth P.|last4=Haberman|first4=Maggie|last5=Nir|first5=Sarah Maslin}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/inside-giulianis-dual-roles-power-broker-for-hire-and-shadow-foreign-policy-adviser/2019/12/08/f9ab9c4c-1773-11ea-9110-3b34ce1d92b1_story.html|title=Inside Giuliani's dual roles: Power-broker-for-hire and shadow foreign policy adviser|last1=Dawsey|first1=Josh|last2=Helderman|first2=Rosalind S.|date=December 8, 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209040024/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/inside-giulianis-dual-roles-power-broker-for-hire-and-shadow-foreign-policy-adviser/2019/12/08/f9ab9c4c-1773-11ea-9110-3b34ce1d92b1_story.html|archive-date=December 9, 2019|access-date=December 8, 2019|last3=Hamburger|first3=Tom|last4=Barrett|first4=Devlin}}</ref> Some experts suggested that Giuliani may have violated the [[Logan Act]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/rudy-giuliani-s-former-doj-colleagues-believe-he-committed-crimes-n1059861|title=Rudy Giuliani's former DOJ colleagues believe he committed crimes|last=Shapiro|first=Rich|date=September 27, 2019|website=NBC News|language=en|access-date=December 10, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/giulianis-role-as-unofficial-envoy-faces-scrutiny-with-rough-transcript-release/2019/09/25/f85dcc9e-f0dd-421b-8941-fcfb5de074db_story.html|title=Giuliani's role as unofficial envoy faces scrutiny with rough transcript release|last=Hudson|first=John|date=September 25, 2019|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en-US|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926113658/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/giulianis-role-as-unofficial-envoy-faces-scrutiny-with-rough-transcript-release/2019/09/25/f85dcc9e-f0dd-421b-8941-fcfb5de074db_story.html|archive-date=September 26, 2019|access-date=December 9, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-25/giuliani-hunted-corruption-now-the-legal-peril-may-be-his-own|title=Giuliani Hunted Corruption. Now the Legal Peril May Be His|last1=Farrell|first1=Greg|last2=Voreacos|first2=David|date=September 25, 2019|website=bloomberg.com|publisher=[[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]]|url-access=limited|access-date=December 9, 2019}}</ref>

On November 22, 2019, Giuliani sent a letter to Senator [[Lindsey Graham]], chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, informing him of at least three witnesses from Ukraine who Giuliani said had direct oral, documentary, and recorded evidence of Democratic criminal conspiracy with Ukrainians to prevent Trump's election and, after his election, to remove him from office via contrived charges. Giuliani's letter also claims that the witnesses had evidence of the Biden family's involvement in bribery, money laundering, Hobbs Act extortion, and other possible crimes. The letter sought Graham's help obtaining U.S. visas for the witnesses to testify.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/436505018/Giuliani-letter-to-Sen-Graham|title=Giuliani letter to Sen. Graham |via=Scribd |work=Rudolph W. Giuliani, PLLC |language=en|access-date=November 23, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Musto-2019">{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/rudy-giuliani-donald-trump-indicted-joe-biden-liar|title=Rudy Giuliani says he's not afraid of being indicted, labels Joe Biden a 'liar'|last=Musto|first=Julia|date=November 23, 2019|website=Fox News|language=en-US|access-date=November 23, 2019}}</ref> The next month, Graham invited Giuliani to share his findings with the Judiciary Committee, and soon advised him "to share what he got from Ukraine with the [intelligence community] to make sure it's not Russia propaganda".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/14/lindsey-graham-rudy-giuliani-ukraine-085061|title=Lindsey Graham invites Rudy Giuliani to Judiciary panel to discuss recent Ukraine visit|first=Burgess|last=Everett|website=[[Politico]]|access-date=December 31, 2019|date=December 14, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/gop-senators-are-avoiding-rudy-giuliani-ahead-of-impeachment-trial|title=Graham: Rudy Should Scrub Evidence for Russian Propaganda|first1=Erin |last1=Banco |first2=Asawin|last2=Suebsaeng|date=December 29, 2019|website=The Daily Beast|access-date=December 31, 2019}}</ref>

[[Dmytro Firtash|Dmytry Firtash]] is a [[Ukrainian oligarch]] who is prominent in the natural gas sector. In 2017, the Justice Department characterized him as being an "upper echelon (associate) of Russian organized crime".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/07/26/feds-call-ex-manafort-associate-dmytro-firtash-top-tier-player-russian-organized-crime/514131001/ |title=Feds call ex-Manafort associate Dmytro Firtash a top-tier player in Russian organized crime |first=Doug |last=Stanglin |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |date=July 26, 2017 |access-date=November 19, 2019 }}</ref> Since his 2014 arrest in [[Vienna, Austria]], at the request of American authorities, he has been living there on $155&nbsp;million bail while fighting extradition to the United States on bribery and racketeering charges, and has been seeking to have the charges dropped.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Grey |first1=Stephen |last2=Bergin |first2=Tom |last3=Musaieva |first3=Sevgil |last4=Anin |first4=Roman |author-link4=Roman Anin |date=November 26, 2014 |editor-last=Woods |editor-first=Richard |editor2-last=Williams |editor2-first=Michael |title=SPECIAL REPORT-Putin's allies channelled billions to Ukraine oligarch |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/russia-capitalism-gas-special-report-pix-idUSL3N0TF4QD20141126 |website=[[Reuters]] |location=Moscow/Kyiv |access-date=May 23, 2023 }}</ref> Firtash's attorneys obtained a September 2019 statement<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cdn.factcheck.org/UploadedFiles/427618359-Shokin-Statement-1.pdf |title=Witness Statement of Victor Micolajovich Shokin |date=September 4, 2019 |website=Factcheck.org |access-date=May 21, 2021 }}</ref> from Viktor Shokin, the former Ukrainian prosecutor general who was forced out under pressure from multiple countries and non-governmental organizations, as conveyed to Ukraine by Joe Biden. Shokin falsely asserted in the statement that Biden actually had him fired because he refused to stop his investigation into Burisma. Giuliani, who asserts he has "nothing to do with" and has "never met or talked to" Firtash, promoted the statement in television appearances as purported evidence of wrongdoing by the Bidens. Giuliani told CNN he met with a Firtash attorney for two hours in New York City at the time he was seeking information about the Bidens.<ref name="Shuster-2019" /><ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1198985975298449409 |user=RudyGiuliani |title=The NYT today has so much #FAKENEWS! 1. I did not ask anyone to dig up dirt on Joe Biden and certainly not with Dimitry Firtash, who I have never met or talked to. 2. I never heard of Shokin meeting w/Congressman Nunes. How many times can a source lie? Law suit? |first=Rudy |last=Giuliani |date=November 25, 2019 |access-date=May 23, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/27/politics/rudy-giuliani-ukranian-oligarch/index.html |title=Rudy Giuliani gives shifting answers on seeking information from Ukrainian oligarch |first=Andrew |last=Kaczynski |website=CNN |date=November 27, 2019 |access-date=May 23, 2023 }}</ref>

Firtash is represented by Trump and Giuliani associates [[Joseph diGenova]] and his wife [[Victoria Toensing]], having hired them on Parnas's recommendation in July 2019.<ref name="Dilanian-2019" /> ''The New York Times'' reported in November 2019 that Giuliani had directed Parnas to approach Firtash with the recommendation, with the proposition that Firtash could help provide damaging information on Biden, which Parnas' attorney described was "part of any potential resolution to [Firtash's] extradition matter".<ref>{{Cite news |access-date=May 23, 2023 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/25/us/giuliani-ukraine-oligarchs.html |title=Why Giuliani Singled Out 2 Ukrainian Oligarchs to Help Look for Dirt |first1=Jo |last1=Becker |first2=Walt |last2=Bogdanich |first3=Maggie |last3=Haberman |author-link3=Maggie Haberman |first4=Ben |last4=Protess |newspaper=The New York Times |date=November 25, 2019}}</ref> Shokin's statement notes that it was prepared "at the request of lawyers acting for Dmitry Firtash ('DF'), for use in legal proceedings in Austria".<ref name="Dilanian-2019">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/ukrainian-oligarch-firtash-linked-giuliani-pals-gas-deals-biden-dirt-n1067516 |title=Oligarch Firtash linked to Giuliani pals' gas deals and Biden research |work=NBC News |first1=Ken |last1=Dilanian |first2=Dan |last2=De Luce |first3=Tom |last3=Winter |date=October 16, 2019 |access-date=October 18, 2019 }}</ref><ref name="Shuster-2019">{{cite news |url=https://time.com/5699201/exclusive-how-a-ukrainian-oligarch-wanted-by-u-s-authorities-helped-giuliani-attack-biden/ |first=Simon |last=Shuster |date=October 15, 2019 |title=How a Ukrainian Oligarch Wanted by U.S. Authorities Helped Giuliani Attack Biden |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=October 18, 2019 }}</ref> Giuliani presented the Shokin statement during American television appearances. ''Bloomberg News'' reported on October 18 that during the summer of 2019 Firtash associates began attempting to dig up dirt on the Bidens in an effort to solicit Giuliani's assistance with Firtash's legal matters. ''Bloomberg News'' also reported that its sources told them Giuliani's high-profile publicity of the Shokin statement had greatly reduced the chances of the Justice Department dropping the charges against Firtash, as it would appear to be a political ''quid pro quo''.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-18/to-win-giuliani-s-help-oligarch-s-allies-pursued-biden-dirt |work=Bloomberg News |title=To Win Giuliani's Help, Oligarch's Allies Pursued Biden Dirt |date=October 18, 2019 |first1=Stephanie |last1=Baker |first2=Irina |last2=Reznik |access-date=October 19, 2019 }}</ref> diGenova has said he has known U.S. Attorney General [[William Barr|Bill Barr]] for thirty years, as they both worked in the Reagan Justice Department.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/01/politics/parnas-firtash-giuliani-ties/index.html |title='I'm the best-paid interpreter in the world': Indicted Giuliani associate touted windfall from Ukrainian oligarch |first1=Vicky |last1=Ward |first2=Marshall |last2=Cohen |date=November 1, 2019 |website=CNN |access-date=21 December 2023}}</ref> ''The Washington Post'' reported on October 22 that after they began representing Firtash, Toensing and diGenova secured a rare face-to-face meeting with Barr to argue the Firtash charges should be dropped, but he declined to intervene.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/prosecutors-flagged-possible-ties-between-ukrainian-gas-tycoon-and-giuliani-associates/2019/10/22/4ee22e7c-f020-11e9-b648-76bcf86eb67e_story.html |date=October 22, 2019 |title=Prosecutors flagged possible ties between Ukrainian gas tycoon and Giuliani associates |first1=Matt |last1=Zapotosky |last2=Helderman |first2=Rosalind S. Helderman |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=October 25, 2019 }}</ref>

On October 18, ''The New York Times'' reported that weeks earlier, before his associates Parnas and Fruman were indicted, Giuliani met with officials with the criminal and fraud divisions of the Justice Department regarding what Giuliani characterized as a "very, very sensitive" foreign bribery case involving a client of his. The ''Times'' did not name whom the case involved, but shortly after publication of the story Giuliani told a reporter it was not Firtash.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/18/us/politics/giuliani-business.html |title=Giuliani Mixes His Business With Role as Trump's Lawyer |first1=Kenneth P. |last1=Vogel |first2=Michael S. |last2=Schmidt |first3=Katie |last3=Benner |date=October 18, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times |url-access=limited |access-date=October 25, 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |user=dfriedman33 |number=1185398172648120320 |title=Asked Giuliani if the recent meeting he had at DOJ involved Firtash or his case, as many people are speculating. Rudy texted: 'It did not.' |first=Dan |last=Friedman |date=October 18, 2019 |access-date=October 25, 2019 }}</ref> Two days later, the Justice Department said its officials would not have met with Giuliani had they known his associates were under investigation by the [[United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York|SDNY]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/20/politics/justie-department-distances-rudy-giuliani-brian-benczkowski-meeting/index.html|title=Justice Department distances itself from Giuliani|first=Evan |last=Perez |website=CNN |date=October 21, 2019 |access-date=October 25, 2019 }}</ref>

On December 3, 2019, the House Intelligence Committee's report included phone records acquired via subpoenas, including numerous phone calls made by Giuliani between April and August 2019.<ref name="House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence-2019">{{cite web|url=https://intelligence.house.gov/uploadedfiles/20191203_-_full_report___hpsci_impeachment_inquiry_-_20191203.pdf|title=Report of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Pursuant to H. Res. 660 in Consultation with the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs|last=House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence|date=December 3, 2019|website=U.S. House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence|access-date=December 5, 2019|archive-date=December 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204093152/https://intelligence.house.gov/uploadedfiles/20191203_-_full_report___hpsci_impeachment_inquiry_-_20191203.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{Rp|58–59, 116–117, 155–159}} Calls involved Giuliani in contact with Kurt Volker,<ref name="House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence-2019" />{{Rp|58}} Republican representative and House Intelligence Committee ranking member [[Devin Nunes]],<ref name="House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence-2019" />{{Rp|155}} Lev Parnas,<ref name="House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence-2019" />{{Rp|156}} numbers associated with the Office of Management and Budget and the White House switchboard,<ref name="House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence-2019" />{{Rp|116–117}} and an unidentified White House official whose phone number is referenced as "-1".<ref name="House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence-2019" />{{Rp|58, 117, 156, 158–159}} Chairman [[Adam Schiff]] of the House Intelligence Committee announced after the report's release that his committee was investigating whether "-1" referred to President Trump,<ref name="Wire-2019">{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2019-12-03/house-committee-votes-impeachment-report|title=Schiff says probe will continue after impeachment report finds 'overwhelming evidence' Trump abused office|date=December 4, 2019 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US |access-date=December 6, 2019 |first1=Sarah D. |last1=Wire |first2=Jennifer |last2=Haberkorn}}</ref> citing grand jury evidence from the trial of convicted Trump-associate [[Roger Stone]] in which the phone number "-1" was shown to have referred to Trump.<ref name="Wire-2019" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/03/us/politics/rudy-giuliani-calls-1.html |title=A Mysterious '-1' and Other Call Records Show How Giuliani Pressured Ukraine |last1=LaFraniere |first1=Sharon |date=December 3, 2019 |work=The New York Times|access-date=December 6, 2019 |last2=Barnes |first2=Julian E. |language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Writing for ''The Washington Post'', analyst Philip Bump reasoned that Giuliani's calls with "-1" are 'likely' calls with Trump citing that Giuliani speaks longer with "-1" than any other person,<ref name="Bump-2019">{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/04/why-giulianis-calls-with-are-likely-calls-with-trump/ |title=Analysis {{!}} Why Giuliani's calls with '-1' are likely calls with Trump |last=Bump |first=Philip |date=December 4, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205123444/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/12/04/why-giulianis-calls-with-are-likely-calls-with-trump/ |archive-date=December 5, 2019 |access-date=December 6, 2019}}</ref> "-1" always calls Giuliani, and generally after Giuliani calls the White House switchboard,<ref name="Bump-2019" /> and timing of some of President Trump's actions shortly after Giuliani's calls with "-1" ended.<ref name="Bump-2019" />

In early December 2019, while the House Judiciary Committee began holding public hearings for the impeachment inquiry, Giuliani returned to Ukraine to interview former Ukrainian officials for a documentary series seeking to discredit the impeachment proceedings.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/04/us/politics/giuliani-europe-impeachment.html|title=Giuliani, Facing Scrutiny, Travels to Europe to Interview Ukrainians |last1=Vogel |first1=Kenneth P. |date=December 4, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 6, 2019|last2=Novak|first2=Benjamin|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> U.S. officials told ''The Washington Post'' that Giuliani would have been considered a target of Russian intelligence efforts from early in Trump's presidency, and particularly after Giuliani turned his focus to Ukraine{{snd}}a former Soviet republic under [[Russo-Ukrainian War|attack from Russia]] and with deep penetration by Russian intelligence services.<ref name="Sonne-2019">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/phone-logs-in-impeachment-report-renew-concern-about-security-of-trump-communications/2019/12/05/2066fbf4-16fe-11ea-8406-df3c54b3253e_story.html |title=Phone logs in impeachment report renew concern about security of Trump communications |last1=Sonne |first1=Paul |last2=Dawsey |first2=Josh |date=December 5, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206084259/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/phone-logs-in-impeachment-report-renew-concern-about-security-of-trump-communications/2019/12/05/2066fbf4-16fe-11ea-8406-df3c54b3253e_story.html |archive-date=December 6, 2019 |access-date=December 6, 2019 |last3=Nakashima |first3=Ellen |last4=Miller |first4=Greg}}</ref> Analysts say Trump's and Giuliani's habit of communicating over unencrypted lines makes it highly likely that foreign intelligence agencies could be listening in on the president's unsecured calls with Giuliani; and that foreign intelligence agencies often collect intelligence about a primary target through monitoring communications of other people who interact with that target.<ref name="Sonne-2019" />

''NBC News'' reported in December 2020 that [[United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York|SDNY]] investigators, which were reported in late 2019 to be investigating Giuliani's activities,<ref name="O'Brien-2019">{{Cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-subpoenas-seek-information-on-giulianis-consulting-business-11574712722 |title=Federal Subpoenas Seek Information on Giuliani's Consulting Business |first1=Rebecca Davis |last1=O'Brien |first2=Rebecca |last2=Ballhaus |first3=Shelby |last3=Holliday |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=November 25, 2019 |access-date=20 December 2023 }}</ref> had discussed with Justice Department officials in Washington the possibility of acquiring Giuliani's emails, which might require headquarters approval due to protection by [[attorney–client privilege]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/feds-have-discussed-making-legal-request-giuliani-s-electronic-communications-n1250714 |title=Feds have discussed obtaining Giuliani's electronic communications |website=NBC News |date=December 22, 2020 |first1=Julia |last1=Ainsley |first2=Tom |last2=Winter |first3=Lisa |last3=Ferri |access-date=20 December 2023 }}</ref> ''The New York Times'' reported in February 2021 that the SDNY had requested a search warrant of Giuliani's electronic records in summer 2020, but were met with resistance from high-level political appointees in the Washington headquarters, ostensibly because the election was near, while career officials were supportive of the search warrant. The Justice Department generally avoids taking significant actions relating to political figures that might become public within sixty days of an election. Senior political appointees nevertheless opposed the effort after the election, noting Giuliani played a leading role in challenging the election results. The officials deferred the matter to the incoming Biden administration.<ref name="Protess-2021">{{cite news |last1=Protess |first1=Ben |title=Trump Justice Department Sought to Block Search of Giuliani Records |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/10/nyregion/giuliani-trump-subpoena.html |work=The New York Times |date=February 10, 2021 |access-date=May 29, 2023 }}</ref>

Federal investigators in Manhattan executed search warrants on the early morning of April 28, 2021, at Giuliani's office and Upper East Side apartment, seizing his electronic devices and searching the apartment.<ref name="Rashbaum-2021">{{Cite news|last1=Rashbaum|first1=William K.|last2=Protess|first2=Ben|last3=Haberman|first3=Maggie|date=April 28, 2021|title=Federal Investigators Execute Search Warrant at Rudy Giuliani's Apartment|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/28/nyregion/rudy-giuliani-trump-ukraine-warrant.html|access-date=April 28, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Erica|last=Orden|title=Federal agents execute search warrant on Rudy Giuliani's apartment|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/28/politics/rudy-giuliani-federal-prosecutors/index.html|access-date=April 28, 2021|website=CNN|date=April 28, 2021}}</ref> FBI agents also executed a search warrant that day on Toensing's Washington, D.C.-area home and confiscated her cellphone.<ref name="Rashbaum-2021" /> In April 2021, Giuliani's attorney said investigators told him they had searched his client's [[iCloud]] account beginning in late 2019, later arguing to a judge that the search was illegal and so the subsequent raid on Giuliani's properties was "fruit of this poisoned tree," demanding to review documents justifying the iCloud search.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/feds-got-into-rudy-giulianis-icloud-with-a-covert-warrant-while-he-repped-trump-in-2019-lawyer-says |title=Lawyer: Feds Got Into Rudy's iCloud With 'Covert Warrant' While He Repped Trump in 2019 |first1=Asawin |last1=Suebsaeng |first2=Adam |last2=Rawnsley |newspaper=The Daily Beast |date=April 30, 2021 |access-date=May 23, 2023 }}</ref> In May 2021, the [[United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York|SDNY]] confirmed in a court filing that in late 2019 it obtained search warrants for Giuliani's iCloud account, and that of Toensing, as part of "an ongoing, multi-year grand jury investigation into conduct involving Giuliani, Toensing, and others," and argued that attorneys for Giuliani and Toensing were not entitled to review the underlying documents of the warrants prior to any charges. Giuliani and Toensing asserted their [[attorney-client privilege]] with clients may have been violated by the iCloud searches, which investigators disputed, saying they employed a "[[taint (legal)|filter team]]" to prevent them from seeing information potentially protected by attorney-client privilege.<ref>
* {{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/17/politics/giuliani-search-review/index.html |title=Giuliani's attorneys argue recent search warrants are 'fruit of this poisoned tree' after 'illegal' iCloud search review in 2019 |first=Erica |last=Orden |date=May 17, 2021 |website=CNN |access-date=May 23, 2023 }}
* {{cite news |last1=Neumeister |first1=Larry |title=Feds: 18 electronic devices seized from Giuliani and firm |url=https://apnews.com/article/ny-state-wire-donald-trump-europe-business-government-and-politics-ee268ae04ecbd716590c8cfb605d9fc7 |work=[[Associated Press]] |date=May 20, 2021 |access-date=May 23, 2023 }}
* {{cite news |access-date=May 23, 2023 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/20/politics/rudy-giuliani-raid/index.html|title=Prosecutors took 18 electronic devices from Rudy Giuliani's home and office in April raid |first1=Kara |last1=Scannell |first2=Erica |last2=Orden |website=CNN |date=May 20, 2021}}
* {{cite web|url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/rudy-giuliani-and-victoria-toensing-are-not-above-the-law-because-of-their-important-clients-feds-say/|title=Rudy Giuliani and Victoria Toensing Are Not 'Above the Law' Because of Their 'Important Clients,' Feds Say |date=May 21, 2021 |work=Law and Crime |first=Adam |last=Klasfeld |access-date=May 28, 2021}}</ref> Federal judge [[J. Paul Oetken]] days later ruled in favor of investigators regarding the warrant documents and granted their request for a [[special master]] to ensure attorney-client privilege was maintained.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/judge-approves-special-master-denies-rudy-giuliani-and-victoria-toensings-requests-for-details-of-governments-probe/ |title=Judge Approves Special Master, Denies Rudy Giuliani and Victoria Toensing's Requests for Details of Government's Probe |date=May 28, 2021 |work=Law and Crime |first=Adam |last=Klasfeld |access-date=May 28, 2021}}</ref> The special master released more than 3,000 of Giuliani's communications to prosecutors in January 2022, agreeing to withhold forty messages for which Giuliani had asserted "privilege and/or highly personal" status and rejecting 37 such assertions.<ref>{{cite news |title=Thousands of Giuliani's communications turned over to Manhattan U.S. attorney following privilege review |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/giuliani-privilege-fruman-sentence/2022/01/21/1a74ecc2-7ad6-11ec-bf97-6eac6f77fba2_story.html |access-date=May 23, 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 21, 2022 |first=Shayna |last=Jacobs}}</ref>

''The New York Times'' reported in February 2021 that the [[United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York|SDNY]] was scrutinizing Giuliani's association with Firtash in efforts to discredit the Bidens, and efforts to lobby the Trump administration on behalf of Ukrainian officials and oligarchs.<ref name="Protess-2021"/> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' reported in May 2021 it had spoken with three unidentified witnesses who said they were questioned by investigators, two of whom said they had worked with Giuliani while cooperating with investigators; one witness said investigators were particularly interested in Giuliani's association with Firtash.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/6020207/rudy-giuliani-investigation-witnesses/|title=Long Before Raiding Rudy Giuliani's Home, Investigators Sought 'Everything' From His Associates|magazine=Time|first=Simon|last=Shuster|date=April 29, 2021|access-date=May 28, 2021}}</ref>

[[United States intelligence community]] analysis released in March 2021 found that Ukrainian politician [[Andrii Derkach]] was among proxies of Russian intelligence who promoted and [[Information laundering|laundered]] misleading or unsubstantiated narratives about Biden "to US media organizations, US officials, and prominent US individuals, including some close to former President Trump and his administration".<ref>{{cite news |access-date=May 23, 2023 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/16/politics/us-election-intel-report/index.html|title=US intelligence report says Russia used Trump allies to influence 2020 election with goal of 'denigrating' Biden |first1=Zachary |last1=Cohen |first2=Marshall |last2=Cohen |first3=Katelyn |last3=Polantz |date=March 16, 2021 |website=[[CNN]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/03/16/us-intel-report-russia-iran-tried-sway-2020-presidential-election/4720051001/ |title=Russia, Iran aimed to sway 2020 election through covert campaigns, US intelligence reports |first=Deirdre |last=Shesgreen |website=[[USA Today]] |date=March 16, 2021 |access-date=May 23, 2023 }}</ref> Giuliani met with Derkach in December 2019.<ref name="Stern-2019"/>

In April 2021, ''Forensic News'' reported that the SDNY investigation into Giuliani had expanded to include a criminal probe of Derkach and [[Andrii Artemenko]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stedman |first1=Scott |last2=Bernardini |first2=Matt |date=April 30, 2021 |title=Giuliani Probe Expands, Ukrainian Ally Under Criminal Investigation|url=https://forensicnews.net/giuliani-probe-expands-ukrainian-ally-artemenko-under-criminal-investigation/ |access-date=August 30, 2021 |website=Forensic News |language=en}}</ref> ''The New York Times'' confirmed weeks later that Derkach was the subject of a criminal investigation into foreign interference in the 2020 United States elections.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Rashbaum |first1=William K. |last2=Protess |first2=Ben |last3=Vogel |first3=Kenneth P. |last4=Hong |first4=Nicole |date=May 27, 2021 |title=Prosecutors Investigating Whether Ukrainians Meddled in 2020 Election |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/27/nyregion/trump-ukraine-rudy-giuliani-2020-presidential-election.html |access-date=August 30, 2021 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> "Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn have been investigating whether several Ukrainian officials helped orchestrate a wide-ranging plan to meddle in the 2020 presidential campaign, including using Rudolph W. Giuliani to spread their misleading claims about President Biden and tilt the election in Donald J. Trump's favor", the ''Times'' reported.

On June 8, 2021, [[CNN]] uncovered exclusive audio of a 2019 phone call from Giuliani to Ukraine, stating that "Rudy Giuliani relentlessly pressured and coaxed the Ukrainian government in 2019 to investigate [[Biden–Ukraine conspiracy theory|baseless conspiracies]] about then-candidate [[Joe Biden]]."<ref>{{cite news |first1=Matthew |last1=Chance |first2=Marshall |last2=Cohen |title=Exclusive: New audio of 2019 phone call reveals how Giuliani pressured Ukraine to investigate baseless Biden conspiracies |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/07/politics/rudy-giuliani-ukraine-call-investigate-biden/index.html |access-date=June 8, 2021 |website=[[CNN]] |date=June 7, 2021 }}</ref>

''The New York Times'' reported in August 2022 that SDNY was unlikely to indict Giuliani for his activities in Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news |title=Giuliani Is Unlikely to Face Criminal Charges in Lobbying Inquiry |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/03/us/giuliani-charges-lobbying-inquiry-trump.html |work=The New York Times |date=August 3, 2022 |first1=William K. |last1=Rashbaum |first2=Ben |last2=Protess |access-date=May 23, 2023 }}</ref> Prosecutors confirmed this in a court filing three months later.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Neumeister |first1=Larry |last2=Hayes |first2=Tom |last3=Tucker |first3=Eric |date=November 14, 2022 |title=Giuliani unlikely to face charges from Ukraine probe that led to raids: prosecutors |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9278134/giuliani-raid-ukraine-no-charges/ |work=[[Global News]] |access-date=January 2, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |access-date=May 23, 2023 |last=Katersky |first=Aaron |date=November 14, 2022 |title=Federal prosecutors decline to file charges against Rudy Giuliani following FBI raid |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/federal-prosecutors-decline-file-charges-rudy-giuliani-fbi/story?id=93289433 |work=ABC News }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=November 14, 2022 |title=Rudy Giuliani will not face criminal charges for foreign contacts ahead of 2020 election, prosecutors say |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rudy-giuliani-no-criminal-charges-expected-from-raid-ukraine-contacts/ |work=CBS News |agency=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=January 2, 2023}}</ref>