CNN
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Donald Trump’s former lawyer Rudy Giuliani has been interviewed by federal investigators as part of the special counsel’s probe into efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CNN with the meeting
The meeting between Giuliani, his lawyer Robert Costello and investigators took place in recent weeks. The sources declined to say what the investigators’ questions focused on during the meeting, which was not previously reported.
Special counsel Jack Smith has not announced any charges stemming from his investigation into efforts to block the certification of the 2020 presidential election, but prosecutors appear to be close to charging decisions, sources familiar with the matter said. case
The interview with Giuliani comes amid a flurry of activity in the investigation, which is examining a scheme by Trump and his allies to introduce fake voters, as well as possible financial crimes related to post-election fundraising. Investigators have subpoenaed a steady stream of witnesses before a federal grand jury in recent weeks and pressured attorneys to quickly produce other witnesses for interviews, sources told CNN.
Sources say some of the grand jury questioning has focused on the actions of Trump’s top lawyers, including Giuliani, with investigators seeking information about his unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud.
Ted Goodman, a political adviser to Giuliani, told CNN that “the appearance was completely voluntary and conducted in a professional manner.”
A spokesman for the special counsel’s office declined to comment to CNN.
The special counsel’s office has long shown interest in several members of Trump’s post-election legal team, including Giuliani, Sidney Powell and John Eastman, as well as former Justice Department appointee Jeffrey Clark, who tried to help Trump’s push to use the department to overrule him. the choice.
Several rounds of federal subpoenas have sought the communications of more than a dozen lawyers, including Giuliani, Powell, Eastman and Clark, because of the importance of some lawyers in Trump’s post-election response.
At least some of the lawyers’ phones were seized by the FBI last year. The Justice Department leaked privileged communications from Eastman and Clark and others to hand over the attorneys’ records to investigators, according to court filings now public.
Trump’s White House lawyer and then-Vice President Mike Pence’s top adviser were also forced to testify despite their claims of attorney-client privilege.
CNN previously reported that Giuliani was subpoenaed late last year to turn over the records to a federal grand jury as part of an investigation into the former president’s fundraising after the 2020 election.
The subpoena sought documents from Giuliani about payments he received around the 2020 election, when Giuliani filed numerous lawsuits on Trump’s behalf challenging the election results, a source told CNN.
In addition, Giuliani played a key role in overseeing the fraudulent voter plot in seven battleground states, as part of an effort to block the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory.
