‘Central figure’ Rudy Giuliani to testify before Jan. 6 committee: report
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is expected to testify in May before the House Select Committee Investigating the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, CNN reported Wednesday, citing "sources familiar with the matter."
Giuliani had his license to practice law suspended in both Washington, DC and New York for pushing Trump's "big lie" of election fraud.
"The expected appearance comes after months of negotiations between lawmakers and the former mayor of New York, who served as former President Donald Trump's personal attorney for much of his presidency," CNN reported. "Giuliani, a central figure in Trump's failed bid to overturn the 2020 election, was subpoenaed by the committee in January and has been engaging with lawmakers, through his lawyer, about the scope of the subpoena and whether he may be able to comply with some requests."
Giuliani's subpoena was announced alongside subpoenas of Jenna Ellis, Sidney Powell and Boris Ephsteyn. The select committee described them as "four individuals who publicly promoted unsupported claims about the 2020 election and participated in attempts to disrupt or delay the certification of election results."
The select committee has recently interviewed former White House senior advisors Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Donald Trump, Jr. is expected to testify in the near future.
Giuliani's subpoena mentions the fake electors scheme.
"The Select Committee's investigation has revealed credible evidence that you publicly promoted claims that the 2020 election was stolen and participated in attempts to disrupt or delay the certification of the election results based on your allegations. Between mid-November 2020 and January 6, 2021 (and thereafter), you actively promoted claims of election fraud on behalf of former President Trump and sought to convince state legislators to take steps to overturn the election results," the committee wrote.
"According to witness testimony and public reporting, in December 2020, you urged President Trump to direct the seizure of voting machines around the country after being told that the Department of Homeland Security had no lawful authority to do so. According to public reporting, on January 6 and in the days prior, you were in contact with then-President Trump and members of Congress regarding strategies for delaying or overturning the results of the 2020 election," the committee explained.
Also on Wednesday, The Washington Post reported the select committee was focused on many of the same topics.
"Interviews with committee members and a review of the panel’s information requests reveals a focus on emergency powers that were being considered by Trump and his allies in several categories: invoking the Insurrection Act, declaring martial law, using presidential powers to justify seizing assets of voting-machine companies, and using the military to require a rerun of the election," The Postreported.
The newspaper spoke with prominent conservative attorney J. Michael Luttig.
“Trump’s invocation of these emergency powers would have been unprecedented in all of American history,” Luggig said.
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