Giuliani ally offered cash to lobby U.S. senators on behalf of pro-Russian TV stations

When Republican lawmakers this week abruptly canceled a plan to subpoena a former Ukrainian official in their investigations into the energy firm that hired former Vice President Joe Biden’s son, they said it was to allow more time for senators to receive more briefings.

But a Ukrainian magazine editor says the target of the subpoena, Andrii Telizhenko, offered him money to lobby U.S. senators on behalf of proRussia media outlets.

A former Ukrainian diplomat, Mr. Telizhenko is an ally of President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and has been a proponent of the debunked theory that Ukraine, and not Russia, interfered in the 2016 U.S. elections.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee called off a vote to subpoena Mr. Telizhenko this week amid accusations that the investigation was calculated to damage Mr. Biden’s presidential bid.

Vladislav Davidzon, who runs the Odessa Review magazine, said Mr. Telizhenko offered him $5,000 in 2018 to approach prominent Republicans to speak out against efforts by Kiev to curb the influence of two TV stations.

CNN reviewed messages between the two men that came against the backdrop of an attempt by Ukrainian lawmakers to censure two channels, 112 and News One, for allegedly broadcasting Russian propaganda.

In October 2018, Mr. Telizhenko wrote to Mr. Davidzon: “Have a question do you or your father have contacts with U.S. Senators? I really need a favor for witch I can pay up to 5k.”

He later wrote: “My question is is it possible to get an official comment on a Senators (Rand Paul and Lindsey Graham, for example) website next week about this situation of censorship in Ukraine? Really important for me and need fast.”

Mr. Davidzon said he considered the offer of money to target senators “improper” and never reached out to any U.S. lawmakers.