CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin thinks that Rudy Giuliani should be “very concerned” about a federal probe into his Ukraine dealings but believes he will likely “never be” charged with a crime.
CNN’s legal analyst spoke with Anderson Cooper on Monday about President Trump’s lawyer amid reports of a federal investigation into his business dealings with Ukraine and his finances.
(Video: CNN)
The probe has been underway for weeks and is reportedly focusing on the former New York City mayor’s connections to two businessmen, Igor Fruman and Lev Parnas, who were arrested last week on charges of campaign finance violations, according to a new report by the Wall Street Journal.
“Witnesses have been questioned about Mr. Giuliani since at least August by investigators, who also want to know more about Mr. Giuliani’s role in an alleged conspiracy involving two of his business associates,” sources told the Journal.
“Giuliani certainly knows what goes into an investigation from the southern district,” Cooper said on “Anderson Cooper 360” Monday, referring to the southern district of New York’s U.S. attorney’s office which is leading the investigation and is the same office where Giuliani served as US attorney from 1983 to 1989.
“Should he be concerned?” Cooper asked Toobin.
“He should be very concerned,” Toobin replied.
“This is such a weird situation in which the former US attorney in the southern district is now being investigated by the southern district,” the former federal prosecutor said.
“However, I do think it’s important to point out that no one has accused him of any crime and the two associates of his who were indicted last week, they are charged with essentially illegal campaign contributions,” Toobin continued.
“There’s no evidence as far as I am aware that Giuliani has engaged in any sort of campaign contribution work,” he added.
“What he has to probably be more concerned about is the issue of failure to register as a lobbyist and all the work in connection with Ukraine, whether that is a violation of the law,” he told Cooper. “But he hasn’t been charged with anything and he may never be.”
Giuliani dismissed reports of any investigation and has denied any alleged wrongdoing.
“They can look at my Ukraine business all they want,” he told the Journal.
He told CNN that he was not aware of any investigation of him, but said any such probe is just a”political attack.”
“No, nothing but leaks, which has to tell you whether they are or are not investigating, it’s a political attack. Otherwise, why leak it?” he told CNN on the weekend. “If it’s an appropriate law enforcement investigation, you try to keep it secret so the subjects aren’t alerted.”
And while Giuliani still considers himself to be Trump’s attorney, the president did not seem to clearly answer the question when it was presented to him.
“Well, I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to Rudy. I spoke to him yesterday, briefly. He’s a very good attorney, and he has been my attorney, yeah, sure,” he told reporters on the White House South Lawn Friday.
But the president stood by Giuliani in a tweet saying his attorney is “a great guy and wonderful lawyer” who’s the victim of a “one-sided Witch Hunt.”
So now they are after the legendary “crime buster” and greatest Mayor in the history of NYC, Rudy Giuliani. He may seem a little rough around the edges sometimes, but he is also a great guy and wonderful lawyer. Such a one sided Witch Hunt going on in USA. Deep State. Shameful!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2019
Following testimony Monday from Fiona Hill, former senior director for European and Russian affairs, it was revealed that after a U.S.-Ukraine meeting in July, then-national security adviser John Bolton was concerned enough that he directed her to inform a National Security Council lawyer about Giuliani who was reportedly referred to by Bolton as a “hand grenade who’s going to blow everybody up.”
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Frieda@bizpacreview.com
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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