A lawyer for Rudy Giuliani disclosed Monday that Giuliani was the target of a criminal investigation in Fulton County in Georgia. This is an investigation into attempts by former President Donald Trump to reverse the results of the 2020 presidential elections.
Being designated a target in an investigation indicates that an indictment is possible based on evidence that investigators have found so far, though such an outcome isn’t guaranteed.
Giuliani, who formerly served as Trump’s personal lawyer, has emerged in recent weeks as a central figure in the criminal investigationFulton County District Attorney Fani Williams is the lead. During special grand jury testimonies, numerous witnesses were asked about Giuliani’s efforts to compel state lawmakers to rescind votes in favor of now-President Joe Biden from Georgia’s 16 Electoral College electors.
Giuliani, who lost the election to Trump, appeared before several panels comprised of state lawmakers from across the country. including in GeorgiaTo urge lawmakers to reverse the results, they used debunked claims about election fraud.
“Every single vote should be taken away from Biden,” Giuliani said during a hearing in Atlanta.
His actions likely violated state lawGeorgia prohibits anyone from Coercing, intimidating, or any other means of compel election officials to reverse a result.
Giuliani is scheduled to appear before the special grand jury in the investigation on Wednesday, though it is unlikely that he will divulge information about the Trump campaign’s attempts to overturn the election. Giuliani’s lawyer, Robert Costello, has indicated to The New York TimesHis client will invoke attorney-client privilege to answer many of the questions that he will be asking.
“If these people think he’s going to talk about conversations between him and President Trump, they’re delusional,” Costello said.
Giuliani’s identity has been revealed by the Georgia investigation. This revelation comes as a result of arguments being rejected by Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, against Giuliani’s appearance before the special grand jury.
Graham had tried to argue that his comments after the election to Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s Secretary of State (and, within that capacity, the state’s top elections official), were protected by speech rights and his position as a federal lawmaker. Graham had asked Raffensperger to reexamine Georgia’s absentee ballots in order to “explore the possibility of a more favorable outcome for former president Donald Trump.”
These arguments were rejected Monday by U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May, noting that Willis, in subpoenaing Graham, “has shown extraordinary circumstances and a special need for Senator Graham’s testimony on issues relating to alleged attempts to influence or disrupt the lawful administration of Georgia’s 2022 elections.”
