The old saying goes something like “anyone who defends himself has a fool for a client.” With Rudy Giuliani, that was a sure bet. Somehow he managed to obtain legal counsel, but most attorneys would not want a client who takes his case to the airwaves — over and over and over.
Still, attorneys Arthur Aidala and Barry Kamins notified the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York of their decision. They indicated that they were taking Giuliani’s case, The Court Listener reported.
The two New York attorneys’ took part in the Harvey Weinstein’s defense. It did not go well for the producer or his team. He was convicted of rape and sexual assault in February of 2020 and received a steep sentence lasting over 20 years. The convicted sex offender appealed his case on the basis that “his jury was not impartial.”
Nevertheless, Donald Trump’s personal attorney and fixer hired them. Aidala and Kamins of Aidala, Bertuna & Kamins, will defend Giuliani in a federal investigation of his interactions with Ukrainian oligarchs while working for 45.
Aidala often went before the media for Weinstein both in the middle of the case and afterward. He told NPR at the time:
‘Nobody on [Weinstein’s] defense team is happy that Harvey Weinstein is not sleeping in his own bed.’
Before going into private practice, Kamins was a retired New York State Supreme Court justice. Before that gig, he was an assistant district attorney (DA) in Brooklyn, according to The Forbesmagazine.
Another attorney from the same firm, John Levanthal went to court on Wednesday. He is working on Giuliani’s case, too.
At this point, Giuliani has been charged with allegations that he lobbied top Ukrainian officials on behalf of the Trump administration. They wanted him to fire the corruption-fighting U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch (Ukraine). In return, they would allegedly provide Giuliani with a case against President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden.
Indeed, Trump fired Yovanovitch, but apparently, Giuliani did not get evidence against the current president’s son.
Much like the FBI served a search warrant against another Trump attorney and fixer Michael Cohen agents also “seized electric devices” and more from Giuliani:
‘[The FBI] late last month executed a search warrant and seized electronic devices from Giuliani’s home and office. ‘
In one of his on-air rants, Giuliani insisted that the FBI was trying to “frame” him. He said this was on the basis of the Foreign Agents Registration Act requiring lobbyists in foreign countries to register their lobbying activities.
Giuliani appeared to be suffering from financial woes. He let a \ a number of his entourage go, including staffers and independent contractors. Moreover, he has been sending out significant smoke signals to Trump asking for the ex-president to pay his legal bills. There was some question about whether that tactic would succeed, because Trump has been notorious for not paying his own attorneys.
The former New York mayor’s advisers have requested the Trump campaign pay Giuliani out of its $250 million campaign account. It would be reimbursement for his part in overturning the 2020 presidential election results.
The FBI’s search warrant included the ex-president’s ex-attorney’s home and office. It was especially difficult to obtain given his work with a U.S president, according to The New York Times:
‘Federal prosecutors must consult Justice Department officials in Washington about search warrants involving lawyers because of concerns that they might obtain confidential communications with clients. The proposed warrants for Mr. Giuliani were particularly sensitive because Mr. Trump was his most prominent client.’
The Mueller Report Adventures: In Bite-Sizes on this Facebook page. These quick, two-minute reads interpret the report in normal English for busy people. Mueller Bite-Sizes uncovers what is essentially a compelling spy mystery. Interestingly enough, Mueller Bite-Sizes can be read in any order.