Giuliani backs out of January 6 panel interview
The committee said it would not allow Giuliani to record his interview
Former President Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani has decided not to participate in a scheduled interview Friday with the House's Jan. 6 committee over an apparent disagreement on whether he could record it.
"Mr. Giuliani had agreed to participate in a transcribed interview with the select committee. Today, he informed committee investigators that he wouldn’t show up unless he was permitted to record the interview, which was never an agreed-upon condition," committee spokesman Tim Mulvey said Thursday.
Giuliani helped lead efforts to audits vote tallies and recount votes after Trump lost in his 2020 reelection bid and is apparently being tied to allegations that Trump and members of his inner circle were behind the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
"Mr. Giuliani is an important witness to the conspiracy to overthrow the government and he remains under subpoena," Mulvey also said. "If he refuses to comply the committee will consider all enforcement options."
Giuliani attorney Robert Costello says negotiations among him, his client and the Democrat-led committee will continue, despite Friday's cancellation.
Giuliani tweeted Friday morning: "Willing to cooperate with 1/6 group if I videotape like they do. After all they habitually leak out-of-context their biased account."
In the tweet, he also challenges California Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence committee, to show proof Trump and his team colluded with Russia during the 2016 elections.
"Still waiting for Schiff’s direct evidence of collusion during his attempted frame-up of the President. Would you trust them to be fair?" Giuliani posted.
Giuliani was subpoenaed by the committee in January, along with other members of Trump's legal team who argued in courts that the 2020 election had been stolen.
Giuliani was also one of several speakers at the rally in front of the White House before the Capitol riot.
"I’m willing to stake my reputation. The president is willing to stake his reputation on the fact that we’re going to find criminality there," Giuliani said at the time. referring to voter fraud.