Over 3,000 of Giuliani’s communications released to prosecutors following FBI seizure
More than 3,000 of Rudy Giuliani’s communications were released to prosecutors on Wednesday after a review of 18 devices that the FBI seized from the former Trump lawyer’s possession last April.
The Washington Post reported that former federal judge Barbara S. Jones, who was chosen to lead a privilege review of Giuliani’s communications, stated that there were 25,000 messages on a cellphone that dated back to 2018.
The former NYC mayor asserted attorney-client privilege over 96 items, 40 of which were granted by Jones, the Post reported. The other 56 items were released to prosecutors.
“Totally expected and in fact we want the prosecutors to see the material as it makes our consistent point that he did not do anything illegal,” Giuliani’s attorney, Robert Costello, told The Hill.
Giuliani is being investigated by the Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office over his dealings with Ukraine and suspicions that he acted as an unregistered foreign agent during his time as the former president’s personal lawyer.
The Post noted that privilege reviews are relatively routine, conducted by an independent team at the prosecutor’s office. Attorney-client privilege asserts that communications between a lawyer and their client are protected. However, they could be inspected if communications involve criminal activity.
In addition, another 3,000 messages that Giuliani did not assert privilege over were turned over to prosecutors, according to the Post.
Costello said that after his own review, there was no evidence of any crime.
“There’s no [Foreign Agents Registration Act] violation,” Costello said, according to the Post. “Rudy Giuliani didn’t do anything illegal or unlawful.”
The released communications come the same week Giuliani was subpoenaed by the Jan. 6 House committee for his potential role in the events that occurred on that day.
“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 said in the subpoena sent to Trump’s former lawyer.
Updated at 11:24 a.m.
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