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Giuliani says Trump asked him to brief Justice Department, GOP senators on Ukraine trip

Rudy Giuliani
Photo: William B. Plowman/NBC/NBC Newswire/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Rudy Giuliani told the Washington Post Tuesday that President Trump has asked him to brief the Justice Department and Republican senators on his recent trip to Ukraine, where he sought to gather information that he believes could undermine the case for impeachment.

Why it matters: Trump has claimed that he never directed Giuliani to dig up dirt on his political rivals in Ukraine, but told reporters last week Giuliani has "a lot of good information" and was going to "make a report" to present to Congress and Attorney General Bill Barr. Giuliani said he hopes to have the report done by the end of the week.

Yes, but: It's far from evident that either the Justice Department or Republican senators want to hear from Giuliani, whose shadow campaign to pressure Ukraine to investigate the Bidens and the 2016 election has landed Trump days away from becoming the third impeached president in U.S. history.

  • Senate Judiciary Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told the Post that he has no plans for Giuliani to appear before his committee.
  • Attorney General Bill Barr has also warned Trump in recent weeks that Giuliani — who is under criminal investigation in the Southern District of New York — has become a liability, the Post reported on Sunday.

The big picture: Giuliani told the Post that he has committed no crimes and that the federal investigation he's facing is "unfair" and "vindictive."

“I believe that the leaks and the investigation is intended to intimidate me as the president’s lawyer. I am fully confident that I did not commit any crimes of any kind. They’re going after the wrong guy. The more they try to intimidate me, the more I think, I better go get additional evidence.”

Go deeper: Giuliani visits Ukraine to meet with prosecutors at heart of impeachment inquiry

Rudy Giuliani