House Democrats subpoena Rudy Giuliani as part of impeachment inquiry over Trump's Ukraine call

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House Democrats subpoena Rudy Giuliani as part of impeachment inquiry over Trump's Ukraine call

rudy giuliani

(Photo by Anthony Devlin/Getty Images)

Former Mayor of New York Rudolph Giuliani during the Conference In Support Of Freedom and Democracy In Iran on June 30, 2018 in Paris, France. The speakers declared their support for the Iranian peoples uprising and the democratic alternative, the National Council of Resistance of Iran and called on the international community to adopt a firm policy against the mullahs regime and stand by the arisen people of Iran.

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  • The House Intelligence Committee subpoenaed Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, for key documents related to Trump's efforts to get Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 election on Monday.
  • The subpoena is part of the House's wide-ranging impeachment inquiry into Trump that was launched last week.
  • Giuliani has stated publicly on multiple occasions that he pushed Ukrainian officials to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, ahead of the election.
  • "In addition to this stark admission, you stated more recently that you are in possession of evidence - in the form of text messages, phone records, and other communications - indicating that you were not acting alone and that other Trump Administration officials may have been involved in this scheme," House lawmakers said in a letter accompanying the subpoena.
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The House Intelligence Committee subpoenaed Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, on Monday as part of a wide-ranging impeachment inquiry launched last week.

The subpoena was issued by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff and in consultation with House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, and House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings.

"Pursuant to the House of Representatives' impeachment inquiry, we are hereby transmitting a subpoena that compels you to produce the documents set forth in the accompanying schedule by October 15, 2019," the lawmakers wrote.

At the heart of the committees' investigation are the events surrounding a July 25 phone call Trump had with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which he repeatedly pressed Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, ahead of the 2020 election.

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The call was the subject of an explosive and unprecedented whistleblower complaint that a US intelligence official filed against Trump in August.

The official said they were "deeply concerned" Trump's actions constituted "a serious or flagrant problem, abuse, or violation of law or Executive Order" that "does not include differences of opinions concerning public policy matters," which is consistent with the definition of an "urgent concern" under federal law. The intelligence community inspector general, Michael Atkinson, reviewed the complaint and determined that it was credible.

Giuliani is mentioned 31 times in the complaint and is described as a "central figure" in Trump's efforts. The whistleblower said Attorney General William Barr "appears to be involved as well."

Schiff's office noted in a letter accompanying Monday's subpoena that Giuliani admitted on national television that "while serving as the President's personal attorney, he asked the government of Ukraine to target former Vice President Joe Biden."

"In addition to this stark admission, you stated more recently that you are in possession of evidence - in the form of text messages, phone records, and other communications - indicating that you were not acting alone and that other Trump Administration officials may have been involved in this scheme," the letter said.

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The lawmakers said Giuliani must provide the documents they requested by October 15.

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