ABC News’ Jonathan Karl reported a conversation he had with Rudy Giuliani last night where he said he will be working on President Trump’s impeachment defense team and hinted that he’d argue the president’s claims about voter fraud were true and thus not an incitement:
Giuliani tells me he's working on Trump's impeachment defense and tells me he'd argue his voter fraud claims in the Senate trial:
"If you can prove that it's true," he says of Trump's speech before the riot, "they are no longer fighting words." https://t.co/vO9X1BGPSt
— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) January 17, 2021
He also told Karl that President Trump issuing himself a pardon would be “justified”:
Giuliani also tells me Trump self-pardon would "justified" dismissing concerns Trump would be more vulnerable to civil lawsuits:
"I mean his legal life's gonna be complicated no matter what. … I'd much rather have my civil life complicated than my criminal life." https://t.co/9WkhzDyn9t
— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) January 17, 2021
However, the White House put out a statement after the ABC News report broke that said the president has yet to decide on his team:
Statement On President Trump’s Impeachment Defense Team:
President Trump has not yet made a determination as to which lawyer or law firm will represent him for the disgraceful attack on our Constitution and democracy, known as the “impeachment hoax.” We will keep you informed.
— J. Hogan Gidley (@JHoganGidley) January 17, 2021
So, should Rudy be on the team? Put Karl Rove down as a no and he thinks if President Trump does stick with the former NYC mayor he’ll end up convicted by the Senate:
Karl Rove on Fox News says Trump will lose his Senate trial if he goes with the argument that Rudy Giuliani articulated to ABC, which he says is essentially that the riot was justified because the allegations about election fraud are true. “Frankly, they aren’t.”
— Rebecca Ballhaus (@rebeccaballhaus) January 17, 2021
Watch:
Karl Rove says Rudy Giuliani's impeachment defense that "the attack on the Capitol and the attempt to end [Congress] certifying the election was justified" because their false election claims are true "raises the likelihood of more than 17 Republicans voting for conviction" pic.twitter.com/hf4JeerOFB
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) January 17, 2021
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