Rudy Giuliani won’t face charges in Ukraine lobbying probe
- Rudy Giuliani was investigated over his interactions with Ukrainian figures in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election
- Federal prosecutors in Manhattan said a grand jury probe has concluded and ‘criminal charges are not forthcoming’
Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, will not face federal criminal charges connected to a probe of undisclosed foreign lobbying on behalf of Ukrainian interests, prosecutors told a judge.
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan wrote to US District Judge Paul Oetken saying that the grand jury investigation that led to search warrants for raids of Giuliani’s home and office in April 2021 has concluded and that charges “are not forthcoming” based on information available.
They asked Oetken to terminate the appointment of Special Master Barbara Jones, a retired judge who was appointed to review evidence seized from Giuliani for materials protected by lawyer-client privilege.
Giuliani tweeted that the decision was “complete & total vindication”.
Giuliani, 78, had been under investigation for potentially undisclosed foreign lobbying on behalf of Ukranian interests.
He was active in the country trying to dig up political dirt on Joe Biden ahead of the 2020 election and sought the removal of the then-US ambassador, but has denied working for anyone in Ukraine and said his only client was Trump.
While the decision eliminates a looming legal concern for Giuliani, the former New York City mayor is still facing other actions stemming from his work helping Trump’s effort to undo the 2020 election.
He was suspended from practicing law in New York last year, is facing an ethics probe from the DC Bar’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel alleging he pressed a “frivolous” failed court challenge to President Biden’s win in Pennsylvania, and is being probed by Atlanta’s district attorney.
Giuliani intends to defend himself against the ethics probe in Washington by calling a string of witnesses who promoted baseless claims that the 2020 election was marred by widespread fraud.
Robert Costello, a lawyer for Giuliani, said the letter proves what Giuliani has said many times – that he did nothing wrong.
“I’m not at all surprised, but I am very pleased, as is Mayor Giuliani,” Costello said. “We’re pleased because we know it is not the Southern District of New York office’s policy to do something like this. But due to the notoriety of the case and the notoriety of the individual they obviously agreed with us that something should be said at the time the investigation was closed.”
The prosecutors’ letter came the same day that Jones was selected as independent monitor of Trump’s company until New York’s civil suit accusing the former president of inflating his assets for years is resolved.
The New York Times reported in August that Giuliani was unlikely to be charged in the case.
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse
