The FBI executed search warrants on the Manhattan home of Rudy Giuliani, the lawyer of President Donald Trump.
The searches are a clear sign that prosecutors are ramping up their investigation into Giuliani, who no longer has the luxury of being protected by Trump as he has been in the past.
The New York Times was the first to report the story. Giuliani teased he would be making a statement on his radio show but the show did on air on Wednesday, being replaced with coverage of New York’s Democratic mayoral debate.
Additionally, the FBI also searched the Washington home of lawyer Victoria Toensing, another connection to the Giuliani investigation, according to reports.
Federal investigators have been investigating Giuliani for his dealings with Ukrainian officials. The former New York Mayor was a key figure in Trump’s first impeachment as he wanted to dig up “dirt” on then-candidate Joe Biden.
At the time, Democrats said there was overwhelming evidence that Trump abused his power by pressuring Ukraine to announce investigations into Biden and his son, Hunter Biden while withholding $400 million in aid.
Giuliani’s attorney Robert Costello released a statement and described the warrants as a violation of foreign lobbying laws.
“Ms. Toensing is a former federal prosecutor and senior Justice Department official. She has always conducted herself and her law practice according to the highest legal and ethical standards,” her spokesperson said in a statement. “She would have been happy to turn over any relevant documents. All they had to do was ask. Ms. Toensing was informed that she is not a target of the investigation.”
Back in 2018, the FBI searched the office of then-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who later pleaded guilty to campaign finance and financial crimes.
Giuliani played a key role in vocalizing the falsehoods about the 2020 election and played a part in Trump’s attempts to overturn the election results in key states Biden won. Those efforts would later lead to Trump’s second impeachment trial after he left office.
