Rudy Giuliani claims he denied presidential pardon requests made by lawyers for Trump accomplices: NYT

Rudy Giuliani, the president's outside defense attorney, claims he denied requests for pardons from multiple individuals caught up in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigations, The Times reported Wednesday evening.

"President Trump’s lead lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, said Wednesday that lawyers for several people facing scrutiny from the Justice Department in the investigations into the Trump campaign and presidency had contacted him to see whether the president would pardon their clients," The Times reported.

Giuliani refused to identify the individuals.

“I always gave one answer and they always left disappointed,” Mr. Giuliani said.

"Giuliani’s account of his stance contrasts with the initial approach taken by the first head of Mr. Trump’s legal team, John Dowd, who had discussions with lawyers for Paul Manafort and Michael T. Flynn in 2017 about pardons," The Times noted.

"The issue of pardons has hung over the investigations into links between Mr. Trump’s campaign and Russia and whether Mr. Trump obstructed justice since the inquiries began two years ago," the newspaper explained. "Mueller has investigated whether Mr. Trump dangled pardons to stop Mr. Flynn from cooperating, and Mr. Mueller wanted to question Mr. Trump about the matter."