President Donald Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani made a stunning admission on Wednesday night in yet another desperate effort to protect his client, and former federal prosecutors were among many others who had a lot to say about it on Twitter.
During a contentious interview on CNN, Giuliani found himself backed into a corner by Chris Cuomo, who spent the entire time relentlessly fact-checking Trump’s attorney, who finally slipped up and admitted that Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia.
In short, he threw the Trump campaign team under the bus.
“I never said there was no collusion by the campaign or between people in the campaign,” he said.
The statement came as quite a shock because Giuliani and Trump have both consistently insisted that there was “no collusion” at all.
It’s also bad news for Trump as former federal prosecutors, ethics lawyers, journalists, and law enforcement officials pointed out in their reactions on Twitter.
Giuliani moves the goalposts again. He no longer claims “no collusion.” He concedes the Trump campaign may have colluded with Russia, but claims Trump did not conspire to hack a server, which he falsely claims is the only potential crime here. https://t.co/6ennR8nAdi
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) January 17, 2019
Ladies and gentlemen, the best lawyer that the President of the United States was able to find: https://t.co/xxSxsZ6hvj
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) January 17, 2019
Well, now that Fruity G has basically admitted that there was collusion going on in the campaign, I guess that “spy” the FBI sent in 2016 makes more sense. Reupping my piece here (I didn’t choose the headline) https://t.co/h6HygKqe1s
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) January 17, 2019
Trump’s allies lost 2 fav talking points this week. Giuliani’s interview kills the “witch hunt” claim. Graham touting Barr’s friendship with Mueller as a plus kicks the legs out of the silly claim that Mueller has a conflict of interest due to an alleged “friendship” with Comey. https://t.co/qiLd7SLrjf
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) January 17, 2019
The defense case is falling like a house of cards.
Rudy Giuliani says Trump didn’t collude with Russia but can’t say if campaign aides did @CNN https://t.co/fugUZmS27x
— Richard W. Painter (@RWPUSA) January 17, 2019
Trump team’s collusion denials:
1) No contact
3) Contacts not *planned*
4) Okay planned, but not re: campaign
5) Okay, but not meaningful or used
6) Collusion is not a crime
7) Can’t collude if you don’t know Putin
8) Repeat 6
9) Maybe *someone* colludedhttps://t.co/oNYCsymF2A— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) January 17, 2019
Changing stories of @realDonaldTrump team:
-No contacts with Russia
-Some contacts but only about adoption
-Lots of contacts but no crimes
-Crimes, but no collusion
-Collusion, but Trump didn’t knowBased on this progression, the next defense is “it’s technically not treason.” https://t.co/4KiH3T6juU
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) January 17, 2019
This is like late-stage Nixon. First Nixon didn’t know what Liddy & Hunt were doing. Then didn’t know what Coulson & Mitchell were doing. Then didn’t know what Haldeman & Ehrlichman were doing. Problem: Nixon did know what they were doing and they were doing it at his direction. https://t.co/Ls1xHNhzoa
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) January 17, 2019
I truly wonder of Rudy remembers how conspiracy law works. https://t.co/F60o3Gl2Ku
— Mimi Rocah (@Mimirocah1) January 17, 2019
For the President’s lawyer to concede collusion by the campaign (while denying personal involvement by Trump) is to concede that Trump has been spectacularly wrong claiming a witch hunt and no conclusion https://t.co/wTfptewO2g
— walter dellinger (@walterdellinger) January 17, 2019
Clearly, Giuliani made an error that no competent lawyer would ever make, and Trump must be fuming about it. Because now Special Counsel Robert Mueller has more reasons to continue the Russia investigation.
Featured Image: Wikimedia
