Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, won’t be part of his defense team at a Senate impeachment because of his speaking role at the Jan. 6 rally that preceded the Capitol riot, according to multiple reports.
ABC News’ Jonathan Karl was the first to report Sunday the former New York City mayor wouldn’t be a part of Trump’s legal team for the trial.
"Because I gave an earlier speech [at the rally], I am a witness and therefore unable to participate in court or in the Senate chamber," Giuliani said, Karl reported.
In a statement Monday to The Hill, Giuliani noted "the rules of legal ethics would prohibit me from representing the President as trial counsel in the Impeachment trial," also citing his rally participation and because "I may be a witness."
Giuliani had led the president's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
He initially told ABC News he was working on Trump’s defense, saying Saturday he was prepared to argue the president's claims of widespread voter fraud didn’t constitute incitement to violence because they’re true, ABC News reported.
"President Trump has not yet made a determination as to which lawyer or law firm will represent him for the disgraceful attack on our Constitution and democracy, known as the 'impeachment hoax,'" a Trump spokesman, Hogan Gidley, tweeted Sunday.
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