President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, was acting as diplomat on behalf of his client to pressure Ukrainian officials to announce an investigation into Trump's political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden.
Now that Trump's pressure campaign has hurtled him toward impeachment, Giuliani is leaping to save his client's and his own hide by railing against the credibility of the career diplomats who testified in last week's public impeachment hearings.
The first 3 “star witnesses” (the State Department permanents) had absolutely ZERO admissible evidence and NO evide… https://t.co/1ecJfOT9U2— Rudy Giuliani (@Rudy Giuliani) 1574169934.0
Unfortunately for Rudy, Republican and Trump critic George Conway is a lawyer as well, and he vocally disagreed with Giuliani's take.
Sorry, Rudy. Sondland’s statements as recounted by Taylor show the existence of, and were made in furtherance of, a… https://t.co/4G2owldaWh— George Conway (@George Conway) 1574171606.0
Conway pointed out that acting Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor testified that Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland informed him that crucial, congressionally approved military aid was being withheld from Ukraine until its President announced an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden.
In closed door testimony prior to Taylor's, Sondland initially denied this. When the transcripts of Taylor's closed door testimony were released, Sondland hastily amended his testimony to admit that he told officials the aid was contingent on the investigation's announcement. Sondland denies that the President explicitly instructed him to do this.
Another legal expert agreed.
Here's why the whole "hearsay defense," fails: 1. law allows statements by co-conspirators (Sondland) to others to… https://t.co/tPSEb4aysp— Mimi Rocah (@Mimi Rocah) 1574172371.0
Rudy's argument gave credence to the claim that he's a lawyer in name only.
@gtconway3d @realDonaldTrump When a wannabe lawyer gets owned by a real lawyer. Priceless.— Alma Glavic (@Alma Glavic) 1574171829.0
@gtconway3d @realDonaldTrump Nobody takes Rudy seriously anymore— Jim Jordan’s Missing Jacket (@Jim Jordan’s Missing Jacket) 1574171720.0
@gtconway3d @realDonaldTrump Butt... he’s a lawyer?!!!? https://t.co/xsvPtiYlvM— Jo (@Jo) 1574171718.0
@gtconway3d @realDonaldTrump Is Rudy a real lawyer or does he just play one on TV? Asking for a friend.— LaDonna S (@LaDonna S) 1574171740.0
Conway wasn't the only one to point out the flaws in Rudy's argument.
@RudyGiuliani You’re just randomly saying legal jargon at this point.— ʀaмpaʀт (@ʀaмpaʀт) 1574170024.0
@RudyGiuliani That’s not how impeachment inquiry hearings work, Rudy. Are you sure you’re a lawyer?— Serenity Now! (@Serenity Now!) 1574171201.0
@RudyGiuliani So, you never called any witnesses to establish foundational facts in a criminal trial? No wonder Got… https://t.co/KXzjoW7iRq— Nathaniel Parkinson (@Nathaniel Parkinson) 1574171278.0
Rudy's argument will likely hold even less water after today. The two witnesses publicly testifying—Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman and assistant to the Vice President Jennifer Williams—were firsthand witnesses to Trump's infamous July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which spurred the impeachment inquiry in the first place.