‘Russiagate,’ the Manafort Trial Starts Today and Rudy Giuliani Goes Wild on TV
Published in la Repubblica
(Italy) on 31 July 2018
by Arturo Zampaglione (link to original)
(Italy) on 31 July 2018
by Arturo Zampaglione (link to original)
Translated from
by Federica Vavala.
Edited by Elizabeth Cosgriff.
The former mayor of New York is showing up on all the TV shows, raging against prosecutor Mueller, Trump’s former attorney Cohen, and everything and everyone in order to defend President Trump. In the process, he repeatedly contradicts himself. Meanwhile, the trial against The Donald’s former campaign chief begins this evening.
Rudy Giuliani used to swear to the sincerity of Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former attorney. Now he publicly denounces him as a “liar” and speculates that he might have tampered with the president’s secret recordings concerning the case of a Playboy bunny. Giuliani has next launched into an attack against “Russiagate” Special Counsel Robert Mueller, accusing him of bluffing. At any rate, he questions whether the possible collusion between Trump’s campaign management and the Kremlin constitutes a crime.
Giuliani, the former mayor of New York during 9/11, who has now been hired as a defense attorney, has been appearing increasingly wild in recent days. His defense of the president during the many TV talk shows to which he is invited is a real performance. He is willing to say anything and to nonchalantly contradict himself. But why are his appearances becoming more and more frequent? The reason is simple: The investigation into “Russiagate” continues and today, the first trial against Paul Manafort begins. In the event Manafort is convicted, the former chairman of Trump’s election campaign is likely to end up in prison for decades, barring a last-minute presidential pardon.
Given the situation, Trump has launched a counteroffensive. Not only are his morning tweets against an alleged “witch hunt” becoming increasingly frequent – even leveling personal attacks against Mueller – but the president is also unleashing his most faithful allies: Giuliani, Fox News journalists and many Republican members of Congress. Theoretically, the investigation should approach its conclusion in September, with Mueller submitting a report and his recommendations. However, the special counsel wants to question Trump in person first; a delicate step, as the president might contradict himself or feel pressured.
One also has the impression that Cohen, Trump’s former attorney, may want to actively cooperate with the “Russiagate” investigation in exchange for lenience concerning the charges leveled against him. For example, Cohen himself leaked the recording of a phone call between him and Trump during which they discussed paying a Playboy bunny in order to buy her silence. Moreover, the former attorney is allegedly ready to testify that, despite official denials, the president was aware of a meeting on June 2016 at Trump Tower between his associates (including his son Donald Jr., his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Manafort himself) and Russian officials promising to deliver compromising documents on Hillary Clinton.
Rudy Giuliani used to swear to the sincerity of Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former attorney. Now he publicly denounces him as a “liar” and speculates that he might have tampered with the president’s secret recordings concerning the case of a Playboy bunny. Giuliani has next launched into an attack against “Russiagate” Special Counsel Robert Mueller, accusing him of bluffing. At any rate, he questions whether the possible collusion between Trump’s campaign management and the Kremlin constitutes a crime.
Giuliani, the former mayor of New York during 9/11, who has now been hired as a defense attorney, has been appearing increasingly wild in recent days. His defense of the president during the many TV talk shows to which he is invited is a real performance. He is willing to say anything and to nonchalantly contradict himself. But why are his appearances becoming more and more frequent? The reason is simple: The investigation into “Russiagate” continues and today, the first trial against Paul Manafort begins. In the event Manafort is convicted, the former chairman of Trump’s election campaign is likely to end up in prison for decades, barring a last-minute presidential pardon.
Given the situation, Trump has launched a counteroffensive. Not only are his morning tweets against an alleged “witch hunt” becoming increasingly frequent – even leveling personal attacks against Mueller – but the president is also unleashing his most faithful allies: Giuliani, Fox News journalists and many Republican members of Congress. Theoretically, the investigation should approach its conclusion in September, with Mueller submitting a report and his recommendations. However, the special counsel wants to question Trump in person first; a delicate step, as the president might contradict himself or feel pressured.
One also has the impression that Cohen, Trump’s former attorney, may want to actively cooperate with the “Russiagate” investigation in exchange for lenience concerning the charges leveled against him. For example, Cohen himself leaked the recording of a phone call between him and Trump during which they discussed paying a Playboy bunny in order to buy her silence. Moreover, the former attorney is allegedly ready to testify that, despite official denials, the president was aware of a meeting on June 2016 at Trump Tower between his associates (including his son Donald Jr., his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Manafort himself) and Russian officials promising to deliver compromising documents on Hillary Clinton.
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