US Election 2020: Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump discuss potential pardon

The US President and Rudy Giuliani are reportedly discussing a “pre-emptive pardon” for the lawyer – despite there being no charges against him yet.

US President Donald Trump has reportedly discussed a pre-emptive pardon with his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani.

According to The New York Times, the pair discussed a “pre-emptive pardon” for Mr Giuliani as recently as last week.

Citing anonymous sources, the publication said it wasn’t clear what the President’s personal lawyer might be pardoned for.

President Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani. Picture: Jim Watson/AFP

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Mr Giuliani, a former New York City mayor credited with bringing the city through the 9/11 terror attack in 2001, has not been charged with any federal crime.

The lawyer was, however, under investigation recently from federal prosecutors over his business dealings in Ukraine.

He also allegedly played a part in outsing the American ambassador in Ukraine, which formed part of the impeachment of Mr Trump.

Mr Giuliani did not respond to a message seeking comment but did issue a swift denial on Twitter.

#FakeNews NYT lies again. Never had the discussion they falsely attribute to an anonymous source. Hard to keep up with all their lies.

— Rudy W. Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) December 1, 2020

Mr Giuliani’s lawyer, Robert Costello, told The New York Times, “He’s not concerned about this investigation, because he didn’t do anything wrong and that’s been our position from day one.”

Times reporter Maggie Haberman, who wrote the original story, replied to Mr Giuliani’s denial on Twitter.

She also disputed his denial that he hadn’t requested $20,000 a day from the Trump campaign.

“It was in writing,” she said.

Giuliani also claimed his request for $20,000 a day from the campaign wasn’t true. It was in writing.

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) December 1, 2020

Presidential pardons are a common feature of the final days of a US leader’s office.

Mr Trump has agreed to leave the White House on January 20, paving the way for president-elect Joe Biden.

A pre-emptive pardon is rare but has happened before.

Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon for all his actions as president and Jimmy Carter pardoned the thousands of Americans who illegally avoided the draft for the Vietnam War.

The reports come a week after Mr Trump pardoned Michael Flynn, the former security adviser whose lies about his Russian contacts spurred the troubling investigation into Trump campaign collusion with Moscow.

The pardon, which was expected, was the first of several possible pardons that analysts think the President could extend to political aides and allies before he steps down on January 20.

Those could include former 2016 campaign chairman Paul Manafort, also convicted in the Russia collusion investigation, Mr Giuliani, former adviser Steve Bannon and Roger Stone, whose prison sentence for lying and witness tampering the President already commuted.

Donald Trump and Michael Flynn. Picture: Jim Watson/AFP

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Last week’s announcement helped Mr Flynn avoid a potential prison sentence being weighed in a Washington federal court.

It also appeared to bring to a close the last case arising from special counsel Robert Mueller’s sprawling 2017-2019 investigation of the Trump campaign, which saw six campaign associates plead guilty or be convicted at trial.

“It is my Great Honor to announce that General Michael T. Flynn has been granted a Full Pardon,” Mr Trump tweeted.

He wished the retired army lieutenant general a “truly fantastic Thanksgiving”.

In a broader statement, the White House said the pardon brings “an end [to] the relentless, partisan pursuit of an innocent man”.

The statement said the investigation into Mr Flynn was part of “a co-ordinated attempt to subvert the election of 2016” and to “undermine [Trump’s] administration at every turn”.