“Because I gave an earlier speech [at the rally], I am a witness and therefore unable to participate in court or in the Senate chamber,” Giuliani told ABC News.
In a statement to The Hill, Giuliani explained that “Due to the fact that I may be a witness, the rules of legal ethics would prohibit me from representing the President as trial counsel in the impeachment trial.”
Here is John Eastman, chairman of a Federalist Society practice group, at the pre-insurrection rally spouting conspiracy theories about voter fraud. He concludes: “Anybody that is not willing to stand up and [vote to overturn the election] does not deserve to be in the office!” pic.twitter.com/auD2vXSjNE
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) January 13, 2021
Giuliani’s decision comes after a weekend of a lot of back-and-forths between Trump, Giuliani, and Trump’s defense team. Giuliani, forever a true believer in Trump’s allegations of voter fraud and the election being stolen from him, wanted to raise the allegations in his defense of Trump before the Senate.
However, Trump’s team has other ideas, and Giuliani is not included in those plans. A longtime Republican consultant – Karl Rove said over the weekend that Trump was more likely to be convicted at a Senate trial if Giuliani defended him.
Karl Rove says Rudy Giuliani's impeachment defense that “the attack on the Capitol and the attempt to end [Congress] certifying the election was justified” because their false election claims are true “raises the likelihood of more than 17 Republicans voting for conviction” pic.twitter.com/hf4JeerOFB
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) January 17, 2021
After the fox interview, as seen above, Trump reportedly began telling everyone around him that Giuliani would not be representing him, according to Slate.
