The firing of U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch has become a focal point in a federal investigation of Rudy Giuliani, sources told The New York Times.
Giuliani is being investigated on allegations that he was lobbying the Trump administration to Ukrainian officials.
Federal investigators on Wednesday conducted search warrants on Giuliani’s home and workplace to obtain electronics believed to have evidence about Yovanovitch and communications between Giuliani and the Trump administration about her firing, one source told the Times.
Ukrainian officials were not a fan of the ambassador, spurring concerns that the officials used their influence to get the ambassador fired.
Giuliani has denied countless times that he was paid by or working with Ukrainian officials, and the former New York City mayor’s lawyer, Robert J. Costello, decried the execution of the search warrants.
“Twice, Mr. Giuliani’s counsel offered to sit with [federal attorneys for the Southern District of New York] and demonstrate that Mr. Giuliani’s conduct was lawful. It is outrageous that the Trump Derangement Syndrome has gone so far that hatred has driven this unjustified and unethical attack on the United States Attorney and Mayor who did more to reduce crime than virtually any other in American history,” Costello said in a statement.
“It’s like so unfair and … it’s like a double standard like I don’t think anybody’s ever seen before,” former President Trump said about the search. “It’s very, very unfair. Rudy is a patriot who loves this country.”
Federal officials are also looking for other communications Giuliani had that might show he worked as a foreign agent, which Giuliani has denied.