President Donald Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani demanded that Special Counsel Robert Mueller file his Trump-Russia report immediately in a lie-ridden tweet that stupefied social media.
"I challenge Mueller to put up or shut up," Giuliani wrote on Sunday. "You have no evidence of the President being involved in a conspiracy with anyone including Russia to hack. And you also have no evidence of collusion. It’s been 2 years so submit a report to DOJ and we will answer it."
I challenge Mueller to put up or shut up. You have no evidence of the President being involved in a conspiracy with… https://t.co/QNSql5RSBN— Rudy Giuliani (@Rudy Giuliani) 1546183010.0
One keen observer noticed something very telling in Giuliani's tweet.
@RudyGiuliani So you want the Mueller report to be public. Noted.— Jackie Wollner (@Jackie Wollner) 1546238791.0
Overall, though, what Giuliani claimed is comically untrue.
CNN analyst Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor like Giuliani, took a blowtorch to Giuliani telling Mueller to "put up or shut up" as he peddles absurd talking points.
"Mueller hasn’t said anything, so there’s no need for him to 'shut up,'" Mariotte tweeted to Giuliani. "You, on the other hand, have a lot to say—much of which is false or misleading."
Mueller hasn’t said anything, so there’s no need for him to “shut up.” You, on the other hand, have a lot to say—mu… https://t.co/jtUEanfLdw— Renato Mariotti (@Renato Mariotti) 1546185247.0
@renato_mariotti @gtconway3d Let him keep talking. Rudy gives the prosecutors more admissions to be used against T… https://t.co/SMI15omJrC— Patty Roberts (@Patty Roberts) 1546192307.0
@renato_mariotti I recall the story about an empty barrel making noise. The barrel was named Rudy— Tom Chalky (@Tom Chalky) 1546185753.0
@renato_mariotti That Rudy actually thinks he can goad Mueller shows how out of touch with reality he is, and his delusions of grandeur— Brian (@Brian) 1546194135.0
What Giuliani omitted is very telling.
@vplus Exactly. And he isn’t issuing the same challenge to the Southern District of New York.— Renato Mariotti (@Renato Mariotti) 1546185471.0
Mueller was appointed in May 2017, which was less than two years ago. Mueller has been militantly tight-lipped about what he has potentially uncovered regarding Russian influence on Trump's businesses, politics, and personal interests.
In this short time period, however, Mueller has amassed dozens of indictments against Trump campaign operatives, Russian officials and business entities.
@RudyGiuliani 1) 2 years really isn't that long, for such an extensive investigation... and Mueller has found faaaa… https://t.co/UAwcjgdzVH— Lina says "I voted #elxn43 🍁🧡🌊" (@Lina says "I voted #elxn43 🍁🧡🌊") 1546238097.0
Mueller has also turned a profit on his investigation with the seizure of Trump's one-time campaign chair Paul Manafort's assets.
@RudyGiuliani He’s been at it for only two years and already has put people in jail. Whitewater went on for seven… https://t.co/I3WU6DIyyh— Betty Ann Keener (@Betty Ann Keener) 1546249510.0
Trump infamously invited Russia to hack into the Democratic National Committee in 2016 to find Hillary Clinton's alleged "deleted emails," which in hindsight doesn't bode well for Giuliani's "no collusion" defense of Trump.
The president has also routinely and falsely denied having ties to Russia despite having pursued a deal to construct a Trump Tower in Moscow while running for president.
Additionally, Trump's sons Donald Jr. and Eric have bragged about the financial support their family's business empire has enjoyed thanks to Russia.
@RudyGiuliani Yeah, you are right. Who do you believe? Kids never lie 😂😂😂 https://t.co/zqXHxPuw1z— Washington News Line (@Washington News Line) 1546265983.0
Giuliani's defenses of Trump - which now border on cultish - have destroyed his reputation as a formidable federal prosecutor who tackled white-collar crime and as "America's Mayor."
@RudyGiuliani Rudy challenges Mueller? 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂— Stephanie (@Stephanie) 1546243055.0
@RudyGiuliani Poor Rudy. You went from respected Mayor of one of the most Major cities in America, to a Floater in… https://t.co/slevk57QFL— Mark Tackett (@Mark Tackett) 1546248808.0
@RudyGiuliani What a bizarre country the US have become, where lawyers of presidents challenge attorneys to put up… https://t.co/3rvGV25FE2— Hans-Petter Bekeng (@Hans-Petter Bekeng) 1546236376.0
@RudyGiuliani 3) Oh gramps... the report IS coming, and you are NOT prepared. Panicked much?— Lina says "I voted #elxn43 🍁🧡🌊" (@Lina says "I voted #elxn43 🍁🧡🌊") 1546238130.0
@mlanger @gaharrah @RudyGiuliani He probably realizes it but doesn't care at this point. He has an audience of one… https://t.co/1zBHHrvrN5— Cultural Reference (@Cultural Reference) 1546270336.0
@RudyGiuliani I can’t believe your character hasn’t been written off yet.— Sit_n_Spinster (@Sit_n_Spinster) 1546242985.0
Does Giuliani truly think Mueller is reading his tweets, or that he would even care?
@RudyGiuliani Mueller doesn't do or read Twitter... so there's that. next...— cbad (@cbad) 1546243182.0
@RudyGiuliani That’s.....not how any of this works— 🦅 Chris 🦅 (@🦅 Chris 🦅) 1546249076.0
@mlanger @gaharrah @RudyGiuliani He’s thinking: “Here’s a thing I can say that will make the boss and his follower… https://t.co/jd1LRoBQE2— Cultural Reference (@Cultural Reference) 1546269249.0
@mlanger @gaharrah @RudyGiuliani He probably realizes it but doesn't care at this point. He has an audience of one… https://t.co/1zBHHrvrN5— Cultural Reference (@Cultural Reference) 1546270336.0
Good luck with that.