Rudy Giuliani, former President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, repeatedly pressured the Ukrainian government to investigate Democrat Joe Biden over a 40-minute phone call in 2019, according to an audio recording obtained by CNN.
During the call with U.S. diplomat Kurt Volker and Andriy Yermak, a senior adviser to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, Giuliani can be heard urging an investigation of Biden, who unseated Trump in the 2020 election.
Giuliani said a public announcement would “clear the air really well” and allow for a possible meeting between Zelensky and Trump.
“And I think it would make it possible for me to come and make it possible, I think, for me to talk to the President (Trump) to see what I can do about making sure that whatever misunderstandings are put aside,” Giuliani said on the recording. “I kinda think that this could be a good thing for having a much better relationship.”
Congressional testimony during Trump’s first impeachment detailed how he sought the investigation into the Democratic rival who eventually beat him in the 2020 election.
