Rudy's return to the television circuit
Rudy Giuliani — currently serving as President Trump's personal lawyer — was back in front of the camera this weekend after his bombshell comments about Stormy Daniels to Fox News' Sean Hannity spurred controversy last Wednesday.
His big quote: Asked by George Stephanopoulos on ABC's "This Week" if Michael Cohen paid other women on behalf of Trump, Giuliani said, "I have no knowledge of that, but I would think if it was necessary, yes."
On the Mueller investigation, Giuliani told Stephanopoulos, "[E]very lawyer in America thinks he would be a fool to testify. I have a client who wants to testify."
And he told Stephanopoulos that the facts of the Stormy Daniels settlement don't worry him, adding that $130,000 is too small a sum of money to pay for "a meritorious claim."
Giuliani also appeared on Fox News' "Justice with Judge Jeanine" Pirro last night:
- "The facts, I'm still learning. This is 1.2 million documents. I have been in the case for two weeks."
- "So I'm not an expert on the facts yet. I’m getting there. But I am an expert on the law, in particular the campaign finance law —I lived under it running for president. And the fact is there is no way [the Stormy Daniels payment] is a campaign violation of any kind; nor was it a loan — it was an expenditure."
The latest on Muller's probe...
AP reports: Mueller has interviewed one of Trump’s closest friends and confidants, California real estate investor Tom Barrack.
P.S. From the N.Y. Times' lead story, "How Michael Cohen, Trump’s Fixer, Built a Shadowy Business Empire":
- "Trump’s lawyers are resigned to the strong possibility that the investigation of Mr. Cohen’s businesses could lead him to cooperate with federal prosecutors."
Go deeper: WashPost lead story, "As the ‘King of Debt,’ Trump borrowed to build his empire. Then he began spending hundreds of millions in cash."