This past weekend, Rudy Giuliani doubled down on his claim that negotiations on Trump Tower Moscow continued as late as November 2016. Then he took it back. This was just the beginning of a weekend of confessions and backtracking by the president’s lead attorney. Read below for more:
Giuliani doubled down on his claim that negotiations on Trump Tower Moscow continued as late as November 2016. If true, this means Trump continued to work with Russia on a lucrative business deal, even after the FBI had warned him of Russia’s election interference.
Giuliani: “It’s our understanding that they went on throughout 2016. … Can’t be sure [of] the exact dates, but the president can remember having conversations with him about it.”
Giuliani said Trump said that Trump Tower Moscow discussions were “going on from the day I announced to the day I won.”
Giuliani acknowledged that Trump was involved in discussions about Trump Tower Moscow.
Giuliani: “I have said the same thing for two months. And that is that the President had very little involvement in this so-called project in Moscow.”
Giuliani said that even if Trump was involved in discussions with Russia during the campaign, it wouldn’t be a crime.
Giuliani: “Even if it’s true, it’s not criminal.”
Giuliani: “Even if he did do it, it wouldn’t be a crime.”
What is the deal with the tapes? Giuliani went back and forth suggesting there were tapes on something.
Giuliani: “Because I have been through all the tapes, I have been through all the texts, I have been through all the e-mails, and I knew none existed.”
Giuliani: “I shouldn’t have said tapes.”
Giuliani: “No tapes. Well, I have listened to tapes, but none of them concern this.”
Oh, and Giuliani is “not an ethicist.”
Giuliani: “I’m a criminal lawyer. I am not an ethicist.”