ATLANTA — Rudy Giuliani faced hours of questioning Wednesday before a special grand jury in Atlanta as a target of an investigation into attempts by former President Donald Trump and others to overturn his 2020 election defeat in Georgia.
The former New York mayor and Trump attorney left the Fulton County courthouse without commenting to reporters roughly six hours after the grand jury convened as part of a rapidly escalating investigation that has ensnared several Trump allies.
Mr. Giuliani’s questioning took place behind closed doors, as grand jury proceedings are secret. Swarmed by news cameras in the morning when he stepped out of a black SUV at the courthouse steps, Mr. Giuliani said he didn’t plan to talk about his testimony.
“Grand juries, as I recall, are secret,” said Mr. Giuliani, who came to court with his attorney, Robert Costello. “They ask the questions and we’ll see.”
Though grand jury secrecy rules prohibit people present during grand jury testimony from discussing it, that prohibition does not apply to witnesses, including Mr. Giuliani. As a former federal prosecutor, he is likely familiar with those rules.
It’s unclear how much he was willing to say after his lawyers were informed Monday that he’s a target of the investigation.
Mr. Costello said the session, which lasted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a half-hour lunch “went very well. No disputes.” Mr. Costello did not immediately address whether Mr. Giuliani answered questions or declined.
“Everyone was a lady or gentleman. Professional,” he wrote in a text message, adding that Fani Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, came out to greet Mr. Giuliani and his lawyers at the end.
The investigation by the Democratic prosecutor has brought heightened scrutiny to the desperate and ultimately failed efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election win. It’s one of several investigations into Mr. Trump’s actions in office as he lays the groundwork for another run at the White House in 2024.
Ms. Willis opened her investigation after the disclosure of a remarkable Jan. 2, 2021, phone call between Mr. Trump and Georgia’s secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger. On the call, Mr. Trump suggested that Mr. Raffensperger could “find” the exact number of votes that would be needed to flip the election results in Georgia.
Mr. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has described the call as “perfect.”
Ms. Willis last month filed petitions to compel testimony from seven Trump associates and advisers. She has also said she’s considering calling Mr. Trump himself to testify, and the former president has hired a legal team in Atlanta that includes a prominent criminal defense attorney.
Other Trump allies swept up in the inquiry include U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. His attorneys filed a legal motion Wednesday asking a federal judge to put Mr. Graham’s special grand jury appearance set for Aug. 23 on hold while he appeals an order compelling him to testify.
Prosecutors want to ask Mr. Graham about phone calls they say he made to Mr. Raffensperger and his staff in the weeks following the vote.
Mr. Graham’s lawyers, including former Trump White House counsel Don McGahn, are fighting the subpoena in federal court. They argue Mr. Graham’s position in Congress protects him from having to appear before the grand jury. A federal judge rejected that notion and ordered the senator to testify. Mr. Graham has said he plans to appeal.
Also Wednesday, lawyers for Republican Gov. Brian Kemp asked the judge overseeing the special grand jury to quash a subpoena for him to testify Thursday. Mr. Kemp had been scheduled to sit for a video recorded voluntary interview with the district attorney’s office on July 25, but Ms. Willis’ team canceled that and issued a subpoena after Mr. Kemp’s attorneys asked about the scope of the interview, Mr. Kemp’s motion says.
Mr. Kemp’s lawyers accused Ms. Willis’ team of using “delay and artificial deadlines” to cause the governor’s “interaction with the investigation to reach a crescendo in the middle of an election cycle.” They say it was issued “for political, rather than investigative, reasons.”
Mr. Kemp faces a rematch with Democrat Stacey Abrams in the November general election.
Mr. Kemp’s lawyers argue that “sovereign immunity” shields a governor from having to testify about his official duties and they also cited executive privilege and attorney-client privilege. If the judge doesn’t quash the subpoena, they said the judge should establish guidelines regarding what can be asked.
First Published: August 18, 2022, 12:10 a.m.
