Joshua Roberts/Getty Images
- Rudy Giuliani said he is working on President Donald Trump’s defense for his upcoming impeachment trial, according to ABC News.
- Giuliani said he plans to argue the president did not incite violence because the unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud are true — despite the fact that none of the claims have held up in court thus far.
- He also said he would not be opposed to Trump himself testifying during the Senate trial.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Rudy Giuliani said he is working on President Donald Trump’s defense for his upcoming impeachment trial, according to ABC News.
Giuliani told ABC he plans to argue the president did not incite violence because the unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud are true – despite the fact that many of the claims have been debunked and none have held up in court.
“They basically claimed that anytime [Trump] says voter fraud, voter fraud – or I do, or anybody else – we’re inciting to violence; that those words are fighting words because it’s totally untrue,” Giuliani told ABC. “Well, if you can prove that it’s true, or at least true enough so it’s a legitimate viewpoint, then they are no longer fighting words.”
Giuliani and Trump have been spreading unsubstantiated claims of election 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, with many dismissed for a lack of relevant evidence.
The Department of Justice, and Trump ally Attorney General Bill Barr, also said in December it found no evidence of widespread fraud that would change the outcome of the election.
Nonetheless, Giuliani and the president have continued to spread those claims, including on January 6, the day of the US Capitol attack that is at the center of Trump’s impeachment.
In a bipartisan vote, the House impeached Trump, for the second time, with the charge of “incitement of insurrection” for his role in the attack, and the Senate will soon hold a trial and vote on whether or not to convict.
Giuliani told ABC that he thinks Trump should first try to have the trial dismissed as “entirely illegal,” in part due to how quickly it was carried out.
He also said he would not be “strongly opposed” to Trump himself testifying during the trial, despite the president’s lawyers being against it in his first impeachment.
Giuliani did not respond to Insider’s request for comment.
The day of the Capitol attack, Trump spoke at a rally in DC and called on thousands of his supporters to march to the Capitol, saying “you’ll never take back our country with weakness.”
Giuliani also spoke to a crowd of Trump supporters that day and called for a “trial by combat,” shortly before the rioters stormed the Capitol. He later dismissed his comment as a “Games of Thrones” reference.
The mob successfully breached the US Capitol building, causing lawmakers to evacuate and leaving five people dead, 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 of Trump’s impeachments.
Although, the former New York City mayor seems to still be in Trump’s good graces, as Advisor Jason Miller tweeted Thursday that the president said Giuliani “is a great guy and a Patriot who devoted his services to the country!”
Giuliani was also seen at the White House Saturday, ABC reported.
Powered by WPeMatico
