By Alexander Wilson-
Judy Giuliani is suspended from practicing law in New York state following disciplinary proceedings over his misleading statements to courts and the public following the 2020 US presidential election.
The Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court said Thursday it was “immediately suspending” Giuliani’s license — although it is an interim suspension, so he will have an opportunity for reinstatement. The ruling prevents from representing clients in any professional capacity.
The New York Bar Association “has sustained its burden of proving that respondent made knowing false and misleading factual statements to support his claim that the presidential election was stolen from his client,” the court’s decision said. “There is uncontroverted evidence that respondent communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump.
These false statements were made to improperly bolster respondent’s narrative that due to widespread voter fraud, victory in the 2020 United States presidential election was stolen from his client,” the Appellate Division wrote. “We conclude that respondent’s conduct immediately threatens the public interest and warrants interim suspension from the practice of law, pending further proceedings before the Attorney Grievance Committee.”
The decision on Thursday, saying that it had found “uncontroverted evidence” that Giuliani made “demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large”, on behalf of his client, then-president Donald Trump, and created a “narrative that due to widespread voter fraud, victory in the 2020 United States presidential election was stolen from his client”.
The court stated: “False statements intended to foment a loss of confidence in our elections and resulting loss of confidence in government generally damage the proper functioning of a free society. When those false statements are made by an attorney, it also erodes the public’s confidence in the integrity of attorneys admitted to our bar and damages the profession’s role as a crucial source of reliable information.” “One only has to look at the ongoing present public discord over the 2020 election, which erupted into violence, insurrection and death on January 6, 2021 at the U.S. Capitol, to understand the extent of the damage that can be done when the public is misled by false information about the elections.”
The ruling comes about two months after federal agents served search warrants at Giuliani’s home and office, part of their ongoing probe into his conduct related to relations with Ukraine.
An emotional Juliani said on Thursday afternoon on his WABC-AM New York City radio show :“I’m going to tell you unequivocally: I did not commit any crimes or anything close to them.”
“I defended an unpopular client,” he said. “I’ve been threatened with death for it. I’ve had a good deal of my income taken away. I’ve lost friends over it. Isn’t that what a lawyer is supposed to do?”
“This is not even close to a fair decision,” Giuliani said, his voice cracking.
Giuliani, 77, argued without evidence that voter fraud was widespread in Georgia, and that voting machines in the state and others were rigged. He urged Georgia’s Republican electors to vote for Trump, despite the state’s Republican governor, Brian Kemp, and secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, countering there was no evidence of fraud.
The five-justice appellate division said Giuliani’s conduct threatened the public interest and warranted an interim suspension. The seriousness of the misconduct, the court said in a 33-page decision, “can not be overstated”.