A member of President Trump’s impeachment defense team dismissed the president’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani as a “shiny object” of little consequence.
Attorney Jane Raskin argued in defense of the president before the Senate on Monday as part of Trump’s impeachment trial. She said that the House managers prosecuting the case against Trump have unduly emphasized Giuliani’s role in the White House and Trump’s dealings with Ukraine.
Giuliani “was not on a political errand” for Trump in Ukraine, Raskin said, arguing that the former New York City mayor was working as a defense attorney to refute allegations that Trump’s campaign colluded with Russian agents to influence the 2016 election.
“He was doing what good defense attorneys do. He was following a lead from a well-known private investigator. He was gathering evidence regarding Ukrainian election interference to defend his client against the false allegations being investigated by [special counsel Robert Mueller],” Raskin said.
“In this trial, in this moment, Mr. Giuliani is just a minor player, that shiny object designed to distract you,” Raskin continued. “Senators, I urge you, most respectfully, do not be distracted.”
Trump’s impeachment trial started last week after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi transmitted impeachment articles to the Senate following weeks of stonewalling in an attempt to influence the Senate’s trial procedures. The president’s defense team began arguing its case against impeachment on Saturday, following three days of arguments by the House impeachment managers led by Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff of California.
The House impeached Trump last year for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over the scandal surrounding his July 2019 phone call with the leader of Ukraine, during which he urged the country to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden. Giuliani has admitted that he pursued the investigations on the president’s behalf, speaking to Ukrainian officials about allegations of corruption against the elder Biden.
