Rudy Giuliani has had his law license in New York suspended for ‘false and misleading statements’ based on pushed on Donald Trump’s election fraud claims, a state appellate court ruled Thursday.
‘[W]e conclude that there is uncontroverted evidence that respondent communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump and the Trump campaign in connection with Trump’s failed effort at reelection in 2020,’ the 33-page decision read.
It claimed that the former New York mayor threatened ‘public interest’ in his capacity as Trump’s personal attorney and insisted his actions ‘warrant interim suspension from the practice of law.’
Giuliani was one of the figures in Trump’s inner circle who led the former president’s legal challenge to the 2020 presidential election results.
The court said Giuliani made numerous false statements about the voting in Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania, including that hundreds of thousands of absentee ballots or votes, including from dead people, had been improperly counted.
He argued the vote was riddled with fraud and claimed voting machines had been rigged in favor of Joe Biden.
‘We find that there is evidence of continuing misconduct, the underlying offense is incredibly serious, and the uncontroverted misconduct in itself will likely result in substantial permanent sanctions’, the court said.
Rudy Giuliani’s law license was suspended by a New York appellate court on Thursday. The former personal attorney to Trump is seen June 22 voting in the New York mayoral primary
Giuliani was admitted to the state bar in New York in 1969 and had a prominent legal career before joining Trump’s team – including working in the Justice Department under Ronald Reagan.
He was named U.S. Attorney in Manhattan in 1983 where he remained through 1989 before running and becoming Mayor of New York City
The New York Bar Association announced January 11, 2021 that it was launching an investigation into whether Giuliani’s membership should be revoked, noting his comments on January 6 to a crowd of Trump supporters before they stormed the Capitol.
The association also said it had ‘received hundreds of complaints in recent months about Mr. Giuliani and his baseless efforts on behalf of President Trump to cast doubt on the veracity of the 2020 presidential election and, after the votes were cast, to overturn its legitimate results.’
Although removal from the Bar Association membership does not disbar Giuliani, the ruling Thursday does stop him from practicing law in New York.
Giuliani is also facing a slew of legal troubles stemming from his involvement with the Trump administration – specifically his foreign dealings with Ukraine.
The FBI seized 18 electronic devices when they raided Giuliani’s New York City home and office last month, court documents unsealed on Thursday revealed.
The devices that were seized from his Upper East Side home belonged to both Giuliani and those who worked for him, according to Manhattan Federal Court filing made public last week.
Details about the number of devices seized were previously redacted in a letter dated April 29 that was sent by prosecutors to US District Judge Paul Oetken.
Prosecutors had written to the judge asking for a special master – an independent person – to be appointed to determine whether any materials found on the devices may be subject to attorney-client privilege.
Giuliani was one of the figures in Trump’s inner circle who led the former president’s legal challenge to the 2020 presidential election results. He is pictured campaigning for Republican candidate for New York mayor Curtis Sliwa on Monday
Giuliani was admitted to the state bar in New York in 1969 and had a prominent legal career before joining Trump’s team – including working in the Justice Department under Ronald Reagan. He told Trump supporters there should be ‘trail by combat’ at the rally before the Capitol riot on January 6
UNREDACTED: The 18 electronic devices seized from his Upper East Side home belonged to both Giuliani and those who worked for him, according to an unsealed in a Manhattan Federal Court filing made public on Thursday
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are currently investigating the former New York City mayor’s dealings with Ukrainian oligarchs while working for then-President Trump.
They are specifically examining Giuliani’s interactions with Ukrainian figures and whether he violated a federal law that governs lobbying on behalf of foreign countries or entities without registering with the U.S. government.
The unredacted version of the filing sheds new light on the FBI’s investigative steps.
It detailed how agents had already obtained a secret search warrant back in 2019 for Giuliani’s iCloud account.
Giuliani, a Republican who represented Trump in the special counsel’s Russia investigation, has not been charged with a crime.
He has said his activities in Ukraine were conducted on behalf of Trump.
At the time, Giuliani was leading a campaign to press Ukraine for an investigation into Joe Biden and his son Hunter before being elected president.
FBI agents seized both cell phones and computers during the April 28 early morning raid on Giuliani’s Manhattan apartment as part of an investigation into whether his interactions with Ukraine violated U.S. laws on lobbying for foreign powers
