Nov 27, 2019

Giuliani lawyer says he was joking about "insurance" if Trump turns on him

Ursula Perano

Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Rudy Giuliani called President Trump this week to say he was joking when he told reporters that he has "insurance" if the president "throws him under the bus," Giuliani's attorney told Reuters.

Why it matters: Giuliani is a central figure in the impeachment inquiry against Trump and has publicly said that he pushed for investigations in Ukraine with Trump's knowledge. Amid new revelations that federal prosecutors are now investigating Giuliani's activities in Ukraine, Trump has denied sending him to Ukraine to dig up dirt on his political opponents.

What they're saying: Giuliani's attorney Robert Costello told Reuters: "He shouldn’t joke, he is not a funny guy. I told him, 'Ten thousand comedians are out of work, and you make a joke. It doesn’t work that way.'"

  • Giuliani already said he was being sarcastic in making the comment, and Trump has dismissed the remarks.
  • "[Costello] said Giuliani 'at my insistence' had called Trump 'within the last day' to emphasize that he had not been serious when he said he had an 'insurance policy, if thrown under the bus,'" Reuters notes.

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