Giuliani says Trump did not pay for his globetrotting push for Biden probe

[webfact]

Giuliani says Trump did not pay for his globetrotting push for Biden probe

By Karen Freifeld

 

FILE PHOTO: Donald Trump speaks with former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani as he visits Gettysburg National Military Park, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. October 22, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump's personal attorney, says he met Ukrainian officials in Madrid, Paris and Warsaw this year as he pushed an investigation into one of Trump's main political rivals in the 2020 presidential election, former Vice President Joe Biden.

 

Giuliani has emerged as a central figure in a scandal that has now engulfed Trump and left him facing an impeachment inquiry into whether he misused his office for his own political gains.

 

One of the key questions is who financed Giuliani's globe-trotting as he pursued unsubstantiated allegations that Biden had tried to fire Ukraine's then chief prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, to stop him investigating an energy company on which his son Hunter served as a director.

 

"Nobody pays my expenses," Giuliani said in an interview with Reuters on Friday. "What does it matter if I'm getting paid for it. Isn't the real story whether he (Biden) sold out the vice presidency of the United States, not whether I got paid for it?"

 

Reuters was not able to independently verify how Giuliani paid for his trips.

 

Biden has accused Giuliani of peddling "false, debunked conspiracy theories."

 

Giuliani traveled to Madrid to meet Andriy Yermak, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinskiy, a few days after a July 25 phone call in which Trump pressed Zelinskiy to investigate Biden. Yermak had sought the meeting with Giuliani.

 

Giuliani said that he chose Madrid as the meeting place because he was going to be there anyway on behalf of two clients, whom he declined to name.

 

"We were negotiating where to meet. He was going to come to New York. I said Mr. Yermak, I'm going to Madrid for four days, five days. Would it be easier if I met you there? He said yes, so those expenses were paid by I assume one client. Since I took two days off I think I paid some of that personally as well."

 

Giuliani did not say what they discussed at that meeting, but a whistleblower complaint about Trump's call with Zelinksiy made public last week said U.S. officials had characterized the meeting as a "direct follow-up" to the president's call.Giuliani said he had received no money from Trump's election campaign or the Republican National Committee, the bureaucratic body that oversees Trump's Republican Party.

 

He said he did not view his work as a "political act."

 

"This began almost a year ago, two years before any election, when I heard the allegations about Joe Biden I did not think about them as connected to the 2020 election. At that point he wasn't even a candidate."

 

Giuliani said he met a Ukrainian prosecutor in Paris in April or May for further discussions about the firing of Shokin. He added that he had been in the French capital "for other reasons once again."

 

Giuliani said he met Shokin's replacement, Yuriy Lutsenko, in Warsaw in February after first meeting him in New York in January. Giuliani said the meeting with Lutsenko in Warsaw was "really social." "I think it was either dinner or cigars after dinner. Not opportune for substantive discussion," he said. 

 

(Reporting by Karen Freifeld; Editing by Ross Colvin and Daniel Wallis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-09-30

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[Samui Bodoh]

35 minutes ago, webfact said:

Giuliani has emerged as a central figure in a scandal that has now engulfed Trump and left him facing an impeachment inquiry into whether he misused his office for his own political gains.

Trump is going to be impeached (there is a Dem majority in the house), and one of the primary reasons is going to be Rudy.

 

It is kind of sad to see the decline of Rudy. I am old enough to remember back in the 80's when he was a kick-ass prosecutor tossing mob figures into the Big House. I am old enough to remember the truly superb job that he did as Mayor of NY around 9/11. These days, I see him on TV and think to myself "There is an old, demented vampire who inexplicably and improbably got lost in the booze". 

 

An open question: how many of you would be happy and confident if Rudy was your lawyer? Anyone? I would not.

 

it bears thinking about...

 

 

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by Samui Bodoh

[Boon Mee]

Biden and the Democrats are <deleted> scared of what Giuliani is uncovering! 

Go, Rudy! ???? 

 

MAGA

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Biden and the Democrats are <deleted> scared of what Giuliani is uncovering! 

Go, Rudy! ???? 

 

MAGA

The only thing Giuliani is uncovering is more dirt on Trump.

 

Go Rudy.

[canuckamuck]

It was quite a brilliant move for the CIA to create this whistle blower account over Trump investigating Biden's extortion the Ukrainians and interfering in the investigation of Burisma. A company that Biden's son was on the board of, despite not having any credentials or experience in the field.

It's likely that Burisma was an asset of the CIA and being funded to counteract Russian influence in the natural gas industry. So pulling this whistle blower nonsense, which will turn into nothing except the end of Biden, is really just going to lift the curtain on a CIA operation which might very well have been legitimate spy stuff. If there is such a concept.

[OneMoreFarang]

25 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Biden and the Democrats are <deleted> scared of what Giuliani is uncovering! 

Go, Rudy! ???? 

 

MAGA

Giuliani is uncovering a lot. He is telling the media lots of details which can be used to hang him and his boss. And he seems too stupid to understand this.

I hope for new Giuliani interviews every day. How to shoot myself and my boss in the feet. Great job!

[riclag]

Rudy on today with Maria Bartolamo/Fox ! You need to hear me out and give me the benefit of the doubt! 

Rudy usually ends up on the right side of the facts,imop!

Edited September 30, 2019 by riclag

[soalbundy]

51 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Biden and the Democrats are <deleted> scared of what Giuliani is uncovering! 

Go, Rudy! ???? 

 

MAGA

Giuliani is uncovering himself, his interviews which showed him up as a bumbling confused liar are embarrassing.

[Tug]

Keep digging Rudy ya dumb smuck lol what a (sdeleated) administration trump is actually asking us to give up our sovereignty to get his sorry ass re elected they are doing a great job for the russan federation imo kick the bum out!

[soalbundy]

A 'lawyer' paid for the flights but we don't know which one.

[Eric Loh]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Nobody pays my expenses," Giuliani said in an interview with Reuters on Friday. "What does it matter if I'm getting paid for it.

Not familiar with Giuliani. Is he a comedian that come out with funny line like 'truth is not truth' and now this gem of contradicting himself in one sentence. 

[Morch]

Quote

What does it matter if I'm getting paid for it

 

I'm sure he'd feel exactly the same if sides were reversed.

 

[ballpoint]

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

An open question: how many of you would be happy and confident if Rudy was your lawyer? Anyone? I would not.

Especially as he admits he was conducting business on behalf of Trump on a trip paid for by another client.

[Sujo]

2 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

It was quite a brilliant move for the CIA to create this whistle blower account over Trump investigating Biden's extortion the Ukrainians and interfering in the investigation of Burisma. A company that Biden's son was on the board of, despite not having any credentials or experience in the field.

It's likely that Burisma was an asset of the CIA and being funded to counteract Russian influence in the natural gas industry. So pulling this whistle blower nonsense, which will turn into nothing except the end of Biden, is really just going to lift the curtain on a CIA operation which might very well have been legitimate spy stuff. If there is such a concept.

Quite void of facts in that post.

 

Burisma was NOT being investigated by that prosecutor. Thats why basically the whole western world govts wanted him gone, because he was corrupt and not doing his job.

 

After the Ukraine govt got rid of him they appointed a new prosecutor who re opened the investigation and found nothing.

[Sujo]

3 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Biden and the Democrats are <deleted> scared of what Giuliani is uncovering! 

Go, Rudy! ???? 

 

MAGA

I sure hope rudy has registered as a foreign agent.

[spidermike007]

And to think that Rambling Rudy used to be a highly respected man. What has become of this fool? Is he insane, unhinged, or just suffering from a degenerative disease of some sort? The more he talks, the deeper the hole he is creating for both him and his boss. He was virtually exiled for months, as they realized how damaging he was to the president. Why on earth did they allow him to resurface? Bad, bad decision. Now he says it was not about politics. What? The meeting was not about politics? I think the "truth is not truth" guy has completely lost the plot, honor means nothing to him, and he will say or do anything at this stage of his now sorry career. He is an absolute clown. 

[canuckamuck]

35 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Quite void of facts in that post.

 

Burisma was NOT being investigated by that prosecutor. Thats why basically the whole western world govts wanted him gone, because he was corrupt and not doing his job.

 

After the Ukraine govt got rid of him they appointed a new prosecutor who re opened the investigation and found nothing.

There are documents released that include the statements from the prosecutor who was fired on Biden's demand that he was indeed investigating Burisma. Official transcripts in his own words. Here is a link to Tim Pool's take on it. He shows the documents. Of course you won't watch it.

 

[quandow]

4 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Biden and the Democrats are <deleted> scared of what Giuliani is uncovering! 

Go, Rudy! ???? 

 

MAGA

Trump's own advisers told him months ago this Biden story was debunked, but we know how much Trump pays attention to THEM.

[Caldera]

Rudy Giuliani's descent is saddening to watch. From 9/11 hero all the way down to pond scum.

[Sujo]

Again the facts.

 

Burisma was investigated prior to Hunter Biden starting work.

 

the investigation stopped and was dormant.

 

Ukraine govt asked for US help to get rid of the prosecutor because he was corrupt. Most western govts wanted him gone.

 

What biden did was in accordance with official govt policy, at the directive of the president, and was done publicly.

 

After the removal of the corrupt prosecutor the new one reopened the investigation and found nothing.

 

Trump, on the other hand asked a foreign govt to investigate a US citizen who is a political rival. He did so in secret.

[metisdead]

A post using a trolling representation of Trump's name has been removed.

[Mac98]

3 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

It was quite a brilliant move for the CIA to create this whistle blower account over Trump investigating Biden's extortion the Ukrainians and interfering in the investigation of Burisma. A company that Biden's son was on the board of, despite not having any credentials or experience in the field.

It's likely that Burisma was an asset of the CIA and being funded to counteract Russian influence in the natural gas industry. So pulling this whistle blower nonsense, which will turn into nothing except the end of Biden, is really just going to lift the curtain on a CIA operation which might very well have been legitimate spy stuff. If there is such a concept.

"No experience in the field." What a laugh. Who in Trump's Cabinet has any experience in the field? Carson slices brains and he's in charge of Housing. De Voss is a rich nincompoop and put in charge of Education. And the ones that have had any contact with their charge, it was to destroy it: Environment; national parks; workplace safety; health care.

 

[abrahamzvi]

4 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Biden and the Democrats are <deleted> scared of what Giuliani is uncovering! 

Go, Rudy! ???? 

 

MAGA

I suggest you read the facts. Listening to Giuliani, I really can't understand how an intelligent person blatantly lies about documented facts, like the Bidens taking millions of $ from Ukraine, or from China. The facts are that Biden Jr. had a salary of $50,000 for two years from a Ukrainian energy company, against which corruption charges were made and investigated and the case closed by a Prosecutor months before he was sacked due to pressure from US authorities, represented by the then VP Biden and other western countries, including Germany, France and the UK. Have they all been bribed by Biden?

[Morch]

28 minutes ago, Mac98 said:

"No experience in the field." What a laugh. Who in Trump's Cabinet has any experience in the field? Carson slices brains and he's in charge of Housing. De Voss is a rich nincompoop and put in charge of Education. And the ones that have had any contact with their charge, it was to destroy it: Environment; national parks; workplace safety; health care.

 

 

Son-in-Law. Daughter.

Them glass houses.

[canuckamuck]

50 minutes ago, Sujo said:

Again the facts.

 

Burisma was investigated prior to Hunter Biden starting work.

 

the investigation stopped and was dormant.

 

Ukraine govt asked for US help to get rid of the prosecutor because he was corrupt. Most western govts wanted him gone.

 

What biden did was in accordance with official govt policy, at the directive of the president, and was done publicly.

 

After the removal of the corrupt prosecutor the new one reopened the investigation and found nothing.

 

Trump, on the other hand asked a foreign govt to investigate a US citizen who is a political rival. He did so in secret.

That's not what the fired prosecutor says. He says he refused to stop investigating Burisma.

[abrahamzvi]

1 hour ago, canuckamuck said:

There are documents released that include the statements from the prosecutor who was fired on Biden's demand that he was indeed investigating Burisma. Official transcripts in his own words. Here is a link to Tim Pool's take on it. He shows the documents. Of course you won't watch it.

 

These so called "documents" - the statement of the sacked prosecutor  - are being contradicted by facts. The statement may or may not be fake, but it is simply untrue and contradicted by actual undispotable facts.

[canuckamuck]

36 minutes ago, Mac98 said:

"No experience in the field." What a laugh. Who in Trump's Cabinet has any experience in the field? Carson slices brains and he's in charge of Housing. De Voss is a rich nincompoop and put in charge of Education. And the ones that have had any contact with their charge, it was to destroy it: Environment; national parks; workplace safety; health care.

 

Well governments are like that, people are appointed to positions they are not trained for. 

But this was a large privately held resource company. Do you know many corporations that like to pad their board of directors with people that have no experience? Only politics or nepotism makes that happen.

[canuckamuck]

3 minutes ago, abrahamzvi said:

These so called "documents" - the statement of the sacked prosecutor  - are being contradicted by facts. The statement may or may not be fake, but it is simply untrue and contradicted by actual undispotable facts.

You mean those facts disagree with your facts.

[abrahamzvi]

1 minute ago, canuckamuck said:

That's not what the fired prosecutor says. He says he refused to stop investigating Burisma.

There is no sense in arguing about facts, they speak for themselves, and they are in contradiction of what the "statement" by the sacked prosecutor says. Full Stop.

[abrahamzvi]

1 minute ago, canuckamuck said:

You mean those facts disagree with your facts.

No, these are not my facts or someone else's ones. Facts are facts, as opposed to statements or lies.