Several of Rudy Giuliani’s friends have urged President Trump’s personal lawyer to keep a low profile amid congressional and federal investigations.
Instead, he went to Ukraine to interview officials and gather information that he thinks will help Trump’s case as he faces impeachment.
“Just having fun while Dems and friends try to destroy my brilliant career,” Giuliani wrote in a text message to the Wall Street Journal while in Ukraine.
He described the trip as a “secret assignment.”
Trump called Giuliani upon his return to New York on Saturday, asking him, “What did you get?” “More than you can imagine,” Giuliani replied.
Giuliani said he is putting his findings in a 20-page report. He teased the report on his own findings in the Ukraine saga earlier this week, saying it would be ready by the end of the week.
The former New York City mayor made a surprise visit to Kyiv as Democrats moved forward in drafting articles of impeachment against Trump for his conduct toward Ukraine. The impeachment investigation was set off by Trump and Giuliani’s efforts to get Ukraine to look into the Bidens and alleged Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election as the White House held up military aid to the country.
Giuliani said he has tried to bring several Ukrainian officials to the United States to testify in favor of the unverified allegations that former Vice President Joe Biden engaged in bribery while his son Hunter was on the board for a Ukrainian gas company. Trump’s personal lawyer said he has the documents to prove his case.
Giuliani’s work in Ukraine is also being investigated by federal prosecutors in Manhattan, who are reviewing whether he should have registered as a foreign agent. Two of his associates, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, who helped Giuliani with his investigations, were arrested in October on campaign finance charges. Both have pleaded not guilty.
Attorney General William Barr counseled Trump that Giuliani has become a liability for his administration, the Washington Post reported. In one conversation, Barr told Trump that he was not being well-served by Giuliani.
But Giuliani said his relationship with Trump has only become stronger since the impeachment investigation launched. He said the two speak on the phone several times a week.
