Senate Democrats Bust Giuliani For Potential Illegal Foreign Agent Activity

Senate Democrats are demanding an immediate review by the DOJ National Security Divison of Rudy Giuliani’s status as a registered foreign agent.

Senators Tom Udall (D-OR), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) wrote, “Notably, recent reports regarding Mr. Giuliani’s efforts to pressure the government of Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden’s son to benefit the President’s reelection also raise serious additional questions about the legality of his work as a foreign agent while also representing and working on behalf the President regarding official U.S. policy. Like any other American, Mr. Giuliani has legal obligations to report his work on behalf of foreign clients, and the Department of Justice should not give him preferential treatment or exempt him from his obligation just because he is the President’s personal attorney.”

The Senators continued, “In a September 6, 2018 letter, we requested that – given Mr. Giuliani’s political and public relations activities on behalf of foreign governments and interests – the Department review whether he had an obligation to register any undisclosed political activities, had any delinquent filings, or had any deficiencies or abnormalities in his registration statements. Since this request, we have received no formal response from the Department. In the meantime, Mr. Giuliani has continued to engage in activities on behalf of foreign governments and interests while at the same time continuing to communicate with senior U.S. government officials and foreign leaders in his capacity as the President’s personal attorney.”

Trump tried to do an end around the US government by giving Rudy Giuliani his dirty work on shaking down Ukraine. The president did try to use the State Department as cover for his lawyer’s activities, but Rudy Giuliani is not a government employee and there are legitimate questions about the legality of his work as an agent for foreign governments.

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If Giuliani were clean and in compliance with the law, it would be easy for the DOJ to say so. The fact that they haven’t suggests that Rudy Giuliani could be breaking the law for Donald Trump.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association