DOJ to review Giuliani’s Ukraine information
Darlene Superville
The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, a close ally of President Donald Trump, said the Justice Department will accept information gathered in Ukraine by Trump personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who has targeted Democrat Joe Biden and his son.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said Attorney General William Barr told him during a conversation that the department has “created a process that Rudy could give information and they would see if it’s verified”.
“Rudy Giuliani is a wellknown man,” said Graham.
“He’s a crime fighter. He’s loyal to the president. He’s a good lawyer.”
Giuliani is also under scrutiny by federal authorities. That means the Justice Department would be actively investigating someone it is also working with to gather potentially damaging information against one of the president’s political rivals.
Federal prosecutors in New York are investigating Giuliani’s business dealings, including whether he failed to register as a foreign agent, according to people familiar with the matter.
Giuliani also was a central character in the impeachment of Trump over the president’s dealings with Ukraine, pushing unsubstantiated corruption allegations against Biden, currently a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Giuliani said he has a document that relates to Biden’s son Hunter, along with a memo allegedly from a Democratic Party official documenting communications with a reporter.
The Democraticcontrolled House impeached Trump last year, alleging abuse of power and obstruction of Congress for pressing Ukraine to investigate the Bidens, while delaying delivery of nearly US$400 million in congressionally approved security assistance for the Eastern European nation. Hunter Biden served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company while his father managed the US government’s Ukraine portfolio under President Barack Obama.
Trump was acquitted last week by the Republican-led Senate.
Graham said anything Giuliani has obtained from Ukraine needs to be given to the Justice Department or Congress’ intelligence committees “because it could be Russian propaganda”.