Let us focus on the facts! Codruta Kovesi, the Romanian Anti-Corruption "Star" was the General Prosecutor of Romania for 6 years (2 October 2006 – 2 October 2012) and the Chief Prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate for more than 4 years (17 May 2013 – 9 July 2018). She has enjoyed Presidential Support for more than 10 years (under President Basescu and President Iohannis) and Government and Parliament Support for at least 8 years (under Liberal-Democrat Party and "Technocrat" Governments). Even the Social Democrat Primer Minister Ponta (7 May 2012 - 4 November 2014) has voluntarily colluded with the omnipresent Romanian Secret Service agents to re-appoint Codruta Kovesi for the God knows how many times back in the position of Chief Prosecutor of the National Anticorruption Directorate. So, the $1 million question is: After 11 years of "successful Anti-Corruption" fight, with such a strong support and with a feeble or even formal opposition (at least until 2018), why is Romania still one of the most corrupt countries in EU? Either the "successful Anti-Corruption" fight was, in fact, not as successful (to say the very least) or, could it be that the "Anti-Corruption fight" has actually fostered and protected the Romanian Corruption? Where is this Corruption most likely to be found? In Presidents and Government ruling the country during the last decade or in the new Government and Parliament majority? You don't have to be a Brainiac to provide the right answers.
So an American lawyer is interfering in the government of a foreign nation. What else is new? Romania ought to tell Giuliani to drop dead.
Is this grounds for disbarment? He got caught; is that good enough?
3
So, Giuliani is into the same game as Manafort, support corrupt Eastern European satraps. Given the tightrope President Iohannis has had to walk, it is quite likely that Giuliani's letter contributed to the firing of Romania's public anti-corruption prosecutor. He has contributed to the demise of democracy in Romania, which is on the same trajectory toward illiberal oligarchic authoritarianism as are all the former Soviet satellites or republics.
4
One thing I notice for the lead photo of Rudy in this piece, and another a day or two earlier: nothing says "glamour" like Rudy in a suit! The long clean lines, the impeccable fit, the fresh-pressed crispness of the whole ensemble. I feel like this level of pizzaz is wasted on the circular drive of the White House and the set of Fox News. This man, this outfit, deserve a grander venue, a more fitting showcase: a runway in Milan, a red carpet in Hollywood? Yes! I want--I NEED--more of this!
That day one press conference with Sean Spicer I saw a similarly-clad fashion icon. My heart raced. I had such high hopes for this administration. Turns out that was just a fleeting tease. I slipped into a state of despair. But, alas, onto the stage struts Rudy, the sartorial stallion! You keep rockin' it, Rudy, you beautiful thing!
6
I expect very little from Giuliani, but for a former judge and F.B.I. director, Loius Freeh should be ashamed to be associated with corrupt Eastern European politicians.
8
How do you go from taking down the mob in New York, to protecting criminals GLOBALLY?
I guess it takes one to catch one.
8
"Why is unclear, although one of his security company’s clients represents a Romanian businessman convicted in a case involving a real-estate deal," according to the NYT evening brief. ONE of his security company's clients??? Why not say the name? Louis Freeh is his client who is paying him to wade into Romanian politics on behalf of one of Freeh's clients.
2
Interesting! May be that Mr. Giuliani is interesting amnisty for himself.
1
It seems the DOJ should be investigating Rudy G - so many White House staff making money from foreign governments.
5
Another corrupt individual in the Trump Administration, corrupt when he hired criminals who stole form the taxpayer, and corrupt now representing Donald Trump. Finally , butting into another country's government which gives the appearance (if not truth) to his meddling as a US government employee, via Trump.
4
Rudy Giuliani unveiled just a small corner of the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin way of "doing justice" in Romania. Unthinkable abuses happened in Romania in the past decade but kept in secret with the full complicity of globalist media.
3
One wonders whether Giuliani has registered as a foreign agent. Not doing that got Manafort and others into trouble. But those in this administration feel they are above the law. SAD!
5
As they say, Looks like Fish, Smells like Fish, Tastes like Fish, it’s Fish. Graft is graft, right is right and wrong is wrong, it does not take a gunnies. Sense of values has long departed, blame it on his age? Maybe it’s the way he has evolved, product of his environment? Somebody give this man a compass and let him find his way to the senior center.
8
As a former prosecutor one would think Giuliana would support crackdowns on corruption.....one would be wrong.
7
Giuliani is obviously being paid to subvert Justice in Romania, just as he is in the USA. His method of defending his clients is to attack prosecutors, law enforcement agencies, and the media in order to sow doubt and mistrust.
4
Who is paying Rudy Giuliani to advocate against anti-corruption laws?
5
Did I read this correctly?
Mr. G. is fighting For corruption?
Just wanted to confirm my cognitive dissonance.
7
So, let's see......rudi, a notorious serial philanderer, all-around serial liar and thoroughly incompetent legal beagle has to work at inveigling the good people of Romania to cease improving their lot so he can collect a tidy fee for doing so? Is it at all possible that he thinks he can be useful in hoodwinking the Romanians since he doesn't seem to be too successful at hoodwinking his fellow Americans here at home? Ultimately I guess I think that he's just not smart enough to hoodwink anybody no matter who or where they are, especially all of his three ex-wives.
4
What a fall for the former mayor of New York, a man whose book speaks of morals, a surviver of cancer and formerly a person whose achievements people used to respect.
He has absolutely no idea of what happens in my country but sold his name. For sale that is what he is nowadays. No principles, a shameless mudder of his own name. God help no one to go dawn such a path!
6
giuliani is said to be 'inconsistent.' (Insane? Perhaps. An embarrassment to all lawyers? Surely. And to all decent homo sapiens? As well.)
But his fight against justice and the anti-corruption forces of Romania is perfectly consistent with his representation of the criminal embarrassment in 'occupation' of the Oval Office, and with his frenzied, 'upside-down-of-facts' fight against the estimable and decent Robert Mueller -- fact-based representative of 'the good' (and, one hopes, our eventual 'savior').
2
Rudy has Romanian internal politics expertice?
Hard to believe when he appears to be “in the dark” regarding his major US client, President DJT.
4
I hope the Romanians are laughing heartily . Having the most corrupt Republican administration saying stop your corruption when we are experiencing daily corruption with this GOP administration. The GOP are out of touch again they don't know when to keep quiet.
2
In Romania, corruption kills. Its victims are often the youngest and most promising members of the society. So, way to go Mr Giuliani, advocating tirelessly for thieves and murders, in exchange for some nice padding in your bank account. Some people have no shame.
4
The Romanians can't stop laughing. An American lawyer with a bleak reputation who is also working for the most corrupt politician in American history gets paid to teach the Romainians about corruption. The joke of the Century in Romania.
5
Reminds me of the Bob Newhart comedy skit about the Grace L. Ferguson Airline and Storm Door Company.
And besides, he might add, corruption isn't a bad thing when private individuals and businesses can benefit from it, is it? It empowers a growing economy and frees it from over regulation in order to allow bold growth.
Just think of all the jobs that can be created (including mine and those like me). Isn't what the socialists call corruption just another name for free enterprise? And isn't free enterprise the engine powering the tremendous growth world-wide for the betterment of mankind?
2
Everyone involved with Trump is down with corruption, whether in the US or any other corner of the world. It is the air that they breathe.
3
Have we gotten to the point that for many Americans, no amount of money is enough? Why would a rich person who started his career fighting against corruption shill for corrupt Eastern Europeans. This is very sad.
3
Let's consider giving Rudy the benefit of the doubt — that he is not intentionally working with evil purposes in Romania but he is instead utterly ignorant and acting without thinking. Given what we've seen over the last few months it is plausible.
2
Because prosecuting corruption is seen to be anti-American nowadays?
3
It's transference of the Trump Administration's fear of the Mueller investigation.
1
Trump and Giuliani can’t get enough corruption here so they have to export it to other countries. Sounds like Putin has both men by the dossier.
1
Next up: Rudy criticizes an anti-bullying crackdown in public schools.
3
Hard to believe. Well, I guess, not so hard to believe. He's being consistent. He obviously wants the public to forgive his corrupt client in the White House so I guess he figures that what's good for us should be good enough for Romania.
2
In Romania Giuliani is on the side of the crooked politicians (PSD party) who got to power by fooling the country's "despicables" (foolable masses, like in the countryside, of which Romania has plenty). And Giuliani is against the rule of law and the struggle against rotten corruption, symbolized by a young and fearless female chief public prosecutor who sent many politicians and crooked businessmen to jail (and who was recently kicked out by the said PSD and its Mafia boss Dragnea -- now in power). But of course Giuliani would be on that side, it is perfectly in line with the work he is doing for his other client (in the White House).
Trump is a no-good degenerate, but has been thus since his youth, no surprise there. But Giuliani was different earlier on. How he got to this abject stage is something that hopefully a historian will write about one day.
1
This is like a bad movie but totally consistent with Trump’s opportunistic family cohort and cabinet behavior.
1
If Mr Giuliani was paid to write the letter does it mean the facts presented in that letter are untrue? For instance the secret protocols between secret services and prosecutors are facts. The excesses of Romania’s National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) are also criticized by a part of Romania's media.
1
This should be the final nail in Giuliani's political coffin. The man has clearly lost his mind.
But then, look who he's working for.
2
It is ominous that someone as significant as Trump’s personal attorney attack the forces of anti-corruption and democracy in Romania. I am growing more worried each day that we are losing our democracy and with that, pushing the world into the arms of state autocracies and free-ranging oligarchs.
1
Although Giuliani doesn’t speak for the US government on foreign policy, his continued work for foreign clients while serving as one of Trump’s chief attorneys dealing with the Russia probe, does raise question about his judgement. That he wasn’t fully aware of US support for Romania’s anti-corruption efforts, and that White House officials were surprised to learn of his work in Romania, shows he may be more of a liability to Trump. He gets paid, while not being registered as a foreign agent with the Justice Department on behalf of his overseas clients might get him into trouble.
Perhaps Giuliani weighed in because of Laura Codruta Kovesi’s drive to combat corruption. She was something of a cult figure with Romanian young people and reformers. Some viewed her as akin to Robert S. Mueller III, and she won praise from American officials, including the late John McCain, as well as the European Commission.
Liviu Dragnea, the leader of the leftist Social Democratic Party, who was convicted in June of abuse of office, had praised Trump and circulated photos of a personal meeting he had with him last year.
2
Rudy is way off the mark on this. Corruption is rampant and the politicians keep changing the laws and rules of court to keep themselves in power. But at the same time I cannot figure out why the Romanian people overthrew the PSD in 2015 and then put them right back in power in the next elections. So many examples could be cited but it is best to say that Rudy certainly has no real understanding of the situation in Romania.
18
@Blaine The PSD government was not "overthrown" in 2015. It simply agreed to step aside for a "technocratic" caretaker government following public protests against PSD corruption. The previous successful election of the independent Klaus Iohannis to become president perhaps lulled the Romanian people into dropping their guard when parliamentary elections came around in late 2016. That election was marked by a very low voter turnout. We Americans shouldn't throw any stones. Our 2016 elections were also marked by overconfidence and by low voter turnout in key states and constituencies. Let's not make the same mistake in November!
1
You have to give credit to Giuliani and Trump for the consistency of their consistency. How do they always manage to be on the wrong side of every issue? It takes a special kind of person.
44
@JerryV
Easy, actually.
They just ask an intelligent, experienced, knowledgeable, thoughtful person who considers the big picture and all the angles what that person recommends, and do the opposite as possible.
Why?
Because, as you surely know, nobody knows more about anything than trump or ever did. People who recommend things are suspiciously disloyal for even daring think he doesn't.
If the advising person is correct, trump must be wrong or not know everything -- which, he has made clear is impossible. How dare!?
So must prove advisor wrong, no other way out, by knowing more = doing what the advisor said not to do.
It's very easy -- except it must be hard sometimes to come up with something "opposite", like what's the opposite of Cap'n Crunch?
Just assume that any stance on any issue that requires logic or moral compunction will be opposed or torn down by this “administration”, on or off duty.
22
Of course, Rudy is the lawyer Trump wants to handle his problems with Russia investigation. Rudy is a person who really does appreciate and understand the nuances of "appearance of conflict."
6
Like Manafort did with the Russian backed Ukranians, Giuliani is taking money from anti-US' interests in Romania.
That they can both serve Trump and not see a problem with their activities shows more "front" than the Atlantic City boardwalk. For Trump also not to have an issue with either man's moonlighting, you wonder how loyalty to the US by those in senior positions can be discarded for cash.
9
This is exactly the problem with having government officials with one foot in the private sector and the other "in the service to their country and constituents'. One can never tell if their statements (position, expressed belief...vote) is that of the government, or their private interests. Trump has this problem in spades...but after 18 months, by now we're all pretty sure that in his case, Private comes before public.
I blame the Reps for this travesty....what is is about "blind trust" that you do not understand?
17
If the US has any adversarial issues with Romania, then Giuliani, even as a private citizen, may have over stepped his rights. Who said he, with the identity he has assumed, was allowed to converse with rogue states? His attempt to influence the private domain of Romanian politics is just what he is trying to rationalize Trump's Russian influences of doing. Rudy is either losing it or he is making political Freudian slips that indicate how easy it was for Russia to co-opt the American election.
8
One more example of Trump's people undercutting former Iron Curtain governments. It's all part of Putin's plan.
17
You can buy one of these letters for about $50K. Before Guiliani worked for the president, you could get it for 10k. Business is good in the swamp.
10
Giuliani is just practicing for the time when Trump's various corrupt real estate deals finally get some attention after the Russian collusion investigation is over.
The collusion/election thing has always been thin regarding Trump directly. He had his family and other lackeys deal with them. I'm waiting for the shady real estate deals and money laundering with the Russians. Giuliani is getting ready.
And, he needs to lose a little weight. He doesn't look so good. Compare him to Bob Mueller. They are the same age.
5
Hey, this is a guy who knows about corruption. And is part of the machinery that is exporting american-style right wing fundamentalism to the rest of the world.
10
Basically Giuliani says stop hurting the corrupt. It is amazing what money can buy and how far people will go in exchange for money. Does Giuliani understand the negative effects of corruption? A professor with all credentials will not qualify to teach at a university while a drunk, pseudo professor will get the job/post. For generations countless students have to endure this third-rate professor who cares less about teaching because he cannot be fired.
13
How are criminal developers supposed to make any money if governments keep cracking down on political corruption?
8
Let's see the letter! If it is on government letterhead, then yet another person in Trump's circle has committed a felony. It is illegal for a private citizen to correspond with a foreign government "with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government.... (US Code, Title 18, Part I, Chapter 45 , Sec 953).
17
@MRod I have seen the letter on a Romanian website and it was headed "Giuliani Partners." That tipped me off that the letter had no connection to the US government and was just Giuliani interfering as a private citizen.
1
This insidious thing of US law firms and consulting firms intervening in foreign affairs and usurping foreign governments a la Giuliani, Freeh, Manafort and Skadden is just another reason why America is despised by many freedom loving persons around the world.
12
"Rudolph W. Giuliani, President Trump’s personal attorney, has waded into the debate on the side of the accused, sending a letter to Romania’s president, Klaus Iohannis, criticizing the country’s anticorruption efforts."
Now, does Trump's personal lawyer criticizing Romania's (or any other country's) anticorruption efforts really surprise anybody?
Really?
8
Does Trump have shady business dealings also in Romania which needs "shoring up" via "personal lawyer"?
7
I am disgusted: State has been a solid supporter of the anti-corruption campaign for years. Hans Klemm, the US ambassador who was recently recalled, used a lot of his capital to support the work of Codruta Kovesi and on the 4th of July reiterated his support through the official web page of the embassy as well as the the speech he gave at the embassy. A month later, the same people who sacked Kovesi brutally crushed a peaceful protest, sending over 450 people to the hospital. Those are the people Giuliani and his boss, apparently, support. This madness will not end well.
8
I wouldn’t be surprised if some corrupt interests are behind the Republicans’ turn in favor of the Romanian government. The Capital Research Center produces a similar erroneous condemnation of the country’s reformist forces. Why is the GOP defending a government of cronyist “social democrats?”
7
So not only is Rudy ok with Trump style corruption here he is fronting for Trump style corrupt politicians in other countries as well. Or perhaps Trump inc has business interests in Romania as well?
1
I'm glad to see that the American people don't support the dismantling of our successful anti corruption campaign. This means that, on some level, your politicians won't support corruption in my country.
Initially I wanted this article to spread and raise awareness, but I hope it doesn't, if this blows up I fear it will be just another indefensible thing Trump will defend, and that would be a nightmare, many in Romania have worked hard and put their careers on the line to fight corruption, it would be terrible if these people were left at the mercy of the corrupt politicians they sought to bring to justice just so Trump can defend his lawyer.
10
I, for one, am grateful that there are people like Giuliani who are willing stand up and defend corruption. Corruption has been threatened all around the world but, with the election of Donald Trump, a corner has been turned. Corruption is finally winning.
There are so many to be grateful to. Vladimir Putin for one. And Erdogan, Modi, Dueterte...the US Republican party (with special mention going to Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan...not to mention corporate lobbyists and chieftains, money launderers and human traffickers all around the world.
Soon we will be able to live in a world where corruption can be practiced openly and freely. Just like religion.
20
Rudy's just earning his lobbyist big bucks. Rudy and so many of Trump's ilk spend every moment pursuing easy money. Not a one has any concept of public service or true patiotism.
6
That means Trump has illicit deals in Eastern Europe that might be discovered. Would anyone be surprised.
7
It's just a habit he's developed promoting corruption at home.
5
That he is arguing against the crackdown of corruption fits with his job representing trump who is steeped in corruption - didn't trump get convicted for fraud for his fake university?
I hope he also gets convicted for his fake charity and his money laundering for russian oligarchs.
That so many rich people ( manafort and cohn) get away with tax and bank fraud tells me that we need better regulation and checks on the rich. They seem to think that paying taxes is only for the middle class and I am tired of paying for them.
1
I think that the next-to-last paragraph says it all: He [Sebastian Burduja] said Mr. Giuliani’s letter was “based on a seriously flawed understanding of the situation in Romania.” Everything about Giuliani is seriously flawed at this stage of the game. He's like the evil court jester; deranged yes but still smart enough to create his own little whirlwind of chaos. There should be a nice clinical facility for politicians who have popped a cork and are now a danger to themselves and others.
3
Rudy leads not one life, not two lives, but many, many lives. It is hard to fathom how someone so duplicitous could still actually be representing the President of The United States.
2
America produces some of the most expert corruption consultants in the world. As the rest of the world becomes more affluent and adopts democratic institutions and forms these consultants will be in great demand. Afterall, one very rarely hears of white collar crime and other forms of high networth corruption in America. Other countries would like to achieve the same results. Few people know the ins and outs of corruption as Mr. Gulliani, whose expertise includes stints as a politician and a lawyer. He will be invaluable as the rest of the world tries to become more like America where corruption amongst the rich and powerful is virtually unheard of even as ghetto city streets in Chicago and Philadelphia and countless other urban areas are devastated and awash in blood. Yes, Mr. Gulliani can bring to these countries the wisdom of good old proper American values. Freedom!!! And God bless.
I wish we could complain about the “excesses” of anti corruption in the US. I suppose even investigating corruption at all would be a start!
1
Hmm... I would like to hear more about Louis J. Freeh, former FBI Director, and the post-public work of other former high ranking officials, as it relates to the resume-enhancing security clearances reported about in other NYT stories, and how their post-public work may be in conflict with U.S. foreign policy and U.S. interests. That would be interesting.
Is Giuliani corrupt? He's advocating for Trump who is appearing to be more and more like a crime figure. Was Giuliani involved in the Russian criminal theft and release of the DNC's emails? At the time he appeared to know of events beforehand when commenting on national television. Now Giuliani is lobbying for corrupt officials in Romania and trying to bully the country into scaling back its anti-corruption efforts. Is this really happening?
Giuliani was supposed to be a mob-busting prosecutor, but was he a mobster himself all along? His close association with Trump and his actions, outright lies and commentary on television trying to legitimize and downplay criminal actions, let alone unethical conduct suggest otherwise.
1
I am shocked that there might be among Trump's inner circle past fundraisers and his present cabinet members any sort of suggestion of possible conflicts of interest using the public sector milieu for private gain, "just shocked that there is gambling here" as the old movie script Casablanca stated .
23
Precisely what was needed in Romania, so of course Giuliani would oppose an anticorruption crackdown. Comical and terribly sad and dangerous if Giuliani is heard.
29
I thought private citizens were prohibited from conducting foreign policy on their own.
64
@TheRev They have to register to lobby the US government in the interest of foreign governments. Lobbying foreign governments as an American citizen doesn't require registering.
Giuliani, as despicable as he is, isn't overstepping the law and more than Denis Rodham is when he goes to North Korea.
Central problem with this "White House"-- it's never clear when the help is representing the government and when they are in it for themselves. Altho' the two seemed to have merged . . .
57
I lived in Romania for 26 years - have seen and lived the corruption first hand and got tired and sick of it, cutting on equal opportunities. I left because I realized how deep down it gets into the system. I was happy to see the efforts they put into cracking it down. Looks like all the squeaky wheels are the ones that can't live without it - that's the only way they know how to live - stealing from others with no remorse.
120
I’m happy that you were able to leave a corrupt government, but sorry that you landed in another.
This is a classic example of why this White House never gets anything done. It seems endemic to the organization that no one can remain focused on anything more than five minutes. The president's lawyer, Giuliani, comments on Manafort's conviction while golfing in Scotland and shortly thereafter is scrutinizing events in Romania. The president's economic advisor, Larry Kudlow says he will look into Google's search engine algorithms /capabilities while Canada's foreign minister makes an emergency trip to Washington to resolve trade issues by end-of-day Friday.
Meanwhile, the president warns of violence if the GOP loses in the fall, can't decide on flag height at the While House while it is revealed that over 3,000 American citizens in Puerto Rice died in last year's devastating hurricane.
This isn't a clown car. It is a clown convoy.
426
Please it’s a blessing that they can’t get anything much done, for what they do get done is awful.
This has little to do with not getting things done and everything with protection for Trump and his family, acolytes, and family.
If people could go focus on the “obvious “, maybe people and pundits could face the real threat to the rest of us.
It would truly be better if this White House never got anything done. Unfortunately it’s gotten plenty done— Gorsuch, tax cuts for the rich, taking kids away from their parents to name just a few “accomplishments.”
To be clear, Mr. Giuliani makes his living as a private, well-paid 'consultant' and advocate for crooked politicians, money launderers, real estate investors and the like without regard to nationality, guilt or innocence, or the evidence. Of course, crooked American politicians will always have a special place in his heart, so long as his bill gets paid anyway. The Donald would do well to keep that part of his bargain with the devil in mind, given his natural tendency to 'renegotiate' the schedule of rates after work is complete.
Mr. Giuliani is living proof: Once you've crossed the 'Truth Isn't Truth' Rubicon, there is no swamp too filthy to swim in - not when the price is right.
349
@chambolle
Maybe he should join Blackwater and their their lie'ing mercenary. Oops, meant to say lawyering - the other just sounded better.
23
@chambolle I don’t disagree with your assessment of Giuliani, but it should be noted that he is in fact working for Trump pro bono.
@chambolle
Do you find it as odd as I do that anyone would hire a firm like Giuliani's for "security and safety"? Really, security isn't secure, you know, nor is "safety" safe. (And Louis Freeh? Really? How fallen are the etc.)
Trump sure surrounds himself with some shady characters with questionable motives. The Trump Swamp is dark and deep indeed.
53
To repeat some comments I've made before, Trumps White House, or even his administration, is where reputations go to die.
How long before Trump can't find anyone to work in the Administration or White House?
25
@wfisher1 I certainly support your comment, however it is wishful thinking because you need only look at the Republican Party to see how many are waiting in the wings, as Giuliani was, to work with or for this corrupt President, or to vote for him. Sorry, I do not think this will end very soon.
Trump needs enablers not workers.
Soul less seemingly senile Rudy has gone from once prosecuting mob bosses to working for one... and we all know birds of a feather ought to do time together.
Giuliani personifies the old (but timely) joke, " How can you tell when a lawyer is lying? Easy, his lips are moving. And that goes double for the chief conman twitter blaster trump. Just sayin.
30
The hubris of Trump, Giuliani and literally all of Trump's people is astounding. But worse is Congress' unwillingness to do anything about it!
I don't recognize America any more. Who are these pod people who have slithered their way into our government? It's not enough that they're holding our nation hostage, they want to destroy the world, too. This is what happens when Russian money is deep in the pockets of grifters and grafters....
45
Your last sentence is what this is all about... Follow the Russian money.
hmmmmmm, Nosferatu is commenting on Romania!
33
@What's a girl to do
First laugh I've had all day. Then that smile slowly turned upside down remembering the most renowned citizen we are presently honoring and putting to rest.
How often I recall what pressure Senator McCain must have been under to put his thumb down on the Republican health care bill.
Regardless of affiliation, may we find more elected officials who value people and country over party.
The guy is 74 years old and clearly already in the grips of dementia or Alzheimer's. He doesn't have a lot of time left. Explain to me what good it does to sell your soul at that point in your life?
Your "private clients" who oppose corruption cleanups might pay big, sure - but if you're Giuliani, you frankly don't have a lot of good years left to enjoy that cash. Wouldn't you rather see to your legacy and make peace with your God - or at least with your scorned ex-wives and estranged kids?
Ironic that when it comes to the "hope I die before I get old" generation, it's the "squares" like McCain who are going out with dignity intact.
28
@A
Please, I dislike Rudy Tooty as much as the next liberal fair minded person ,however I find fault with age 74 being categorized as not much time left because of that age plus also included in the same paragraph as Dementia, Alzheimers etc.
I am way past that age and still have a healthy mind, body and spirit and also manage by myself care at home 24/7 for my wife who does have Parkinson's related dementia while also surviving in competitive work as an artist for 6 decades with complex NYC gallery relationships as only we know in Manhattan , age numbers in itself do not mean it is time to throw in the towel .
2
This has been prefers to be in the spotlight
May his demise be long and excruciatingly painful
@A
I don't think it's just the money; there's all that throbbing ego.
What do all these old guys CARE about doing this nasty stuff? They ain't gonna be around for long, so, I mean, come on, WHAT is this NEED to flame out in such a disgusting, evil way?
The guy's got more stuff and money than he needs - so why? Just WHY?
39
I'm sorry but all I can say is, hahahaha, Guliani has morals!
6
Note to Mueller's team: Trump et al probably laundered money through Romania. You may want to look into it.
54
Speaking of cover, look who this Dragnea runs to when the heat is on.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/skipping-corruption-hearing-romania-leader...
I think all these security operators are just protecting organized crime.
6
Again why give this over the hill senile
out of work crooked lawyer any attention at all?
Enough already!
Send him to where his brain has already settled: permanent retirement
13
Rudy, we have plenty of corruption to deal with here at home starting with the idiot that you work for.
34
Kind of like Manafort with a more polished resume. Rudy chucked any sense of right and wrong a long time ago in his relentless pursuit of fame and fortune. He seems quite diminished intellectually. Smug and soulless is no way to go through life Flounder.
17
An example of bias: the party of the person negatively impacted by the reforms is identified as being left-of-center.
Identify the political positions of all cited parties or none of them.
4
The rule of law stands in the way of global corporations and their shareholders, so they weaken it whenever possible.
13
Why should anyone be surprised. This is consistent with his defending the most corrupt President our country has witnessed.
However, we aren't getting a whole lot of news on the corruption front. For example, why isn't more being made of Trump's changing the expansion plans of the FBI, then writing an executive order preventing release of that information?
The reason for the secrecy is the FBI was going to be building downtown, close to its headquarters on existing federal property. Now Trump is moving them out into Virginia, because being close to FBI HQ meant adjacent to his hotel in DC, which could be bad for business.
Oh, that's right the hotel belongs to his kids. So, I'm sure his decision had nothing to do with emoluments.
21
"Corruption isn't corruption" I look forward to Mr. Giuliani's presence fading away into the sunset.
21
While anti-corruption drives can be used by authorities to consolidate their political control (see Saudi Arabia under Mohammad Bin Salman), the Romanian efforts appear to have been recognized as legitimate by the EU and our own embassy. So a Romanian real estate developer convicted of corruption pays a US law firm run by the former head of the FBI to pay the president's personal lawyer to write a letter on his behalf, merely saying 'it had nothing to do with the US government". Is this kind of blatant influence peddling legal?
17
It is often said that everyone deserves a legal defense, but it might be asked if an attorney should decide whether to pass on a particular client. But it appears that Rudy Giuliani actually has decided what kinds of clients to represent. Kind of like Paul Manafort, don’t you think?
7
Rudolph Guiliani ... whose moral and professional probity USED to command respect all over the world...
7
Only in this Administration would such a close confidant of a President (who himself is under investigation for corruption and collusion with a foreign power) be busily attempting to bailout political figures in an allied foreign country, who have already been convicted and jailed for corruption. And No, after seeing the increasing chaos and shear misanthropy that is swirling around the White House, sometimes you truly do not know whether to laugh or cry. But today, with someone with the integrity, history of sacrifice and unchallenged love of his nation like a John McCain laying in State in our Capital-I'm crying (a lot)
9
What a great headline!
1
So Rudy thinks that corruption is just fine. Why are we not surprised?
13
Guiliani:
The truth is not the truth.
We can’t meet with Mueller because our recollections keep changing.
Corruption is not corruption:
10
some years back I saw on a third world country in SW asia , where the elected MP ( member of parliament) was quoted on TV saying "corruption is his birth right"
and now we have a person representing WH occupant saying that.
Do we need to say we are at par with a 3rd world rampant corrupt nation.
7
Shocking that Mr. Dragnea, who was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison, agrees with Giuliani.
5
Part of his private practice? Isn’t that a conflict of interest. His actions could be confused as representing that of the USA. He does not. But he is throwing his weight around as a consequence of his connection to the White House. Drain the swamp? Get started right here with this example.
11
@BCY123 "Isn’t that a conflict of interest?" Seems to me, but I'm not a lawyer. Giuliani isn't an official of the Trump Administration, but it sure looks like he's conducting diplomacy. Back channels are one thing (as long as they don't rely only on Russian cypher machines), but as with almost every other misstep of the Administration it's sitting right there on the front burner. This raises nothing but questions.
Michael Cohen was suddenly collecting 6- and 7-figure retainers for 'consulting services', i.e. selling access to POTUS; what kind of fees is Giuliani collecting for his "private practice"? Where did this client come from, and when did his relationship with Giuliani begin? Was he maintaining clients outside of his New York practice with his previous firm? If so, were they aware of this? If not, then he must necessarily have picked up the client since he came to Trump, since Greenberg Traurig released him from the firm only after he went to Washington; how is that not corrupt? Did Giuliani's fees suddenly experience the kind of 10x multiplication as Cohen's? Giuliani assures us that "private lawyers for the president have all had private practices”, but he's also reassured us recently that all lawyers routinely make slush-fund payments for NDA's without their client's knowledge, and that truth isn't truth, so I must admit I have some trust issues with Rudy.
I wonder who his client is on this (foreign?) and if he has done any domestic advocating on their behalf?
3
Is Rudi a foreign agent? He also seemed to leak a lot of classified FBI info before the elections. Hope there is a subpoena in his future, like Cohen. Remember Rudi says he fixed payoffs for sex scandals "many times".
8
It's painfully dangerous enough that the United States is being represented abroad by a small-time mob-boss-- who bullies allies and admires the country's enemies. Now, his consigliere is weighing in on foreign government policy issues. Beware us all!
6
I’m not sure about Romanian politics, but it is disturbing to see so many American consulting firms making money off and in other counties. It would be different if it were a group operating with some higher purpose or government objective — but Giuliani seems to have followed the same dark money as people as Manafort, ending up arguing on behalf of foreign powers that he isn’t accountable to or for.
113
@J.P. Globalists for sure. Isn't Trump against globalism? Looks like another lawyer firing about due.
4
trump is draining the swamp and replacing it with a cesspool!
And the leading candidate to run the cesspool is the man guilty of spewing the most verbal flatulence in the USA: Rudy Giuliani!
Now its obvious these liars, grifters and greedy predators from trumps training camps are trying to destroy the rule of law in Romania
16
@Richard Marcley
You seem to have forgotten Clinton foundation employees calling the state dept for favors for doners. Talk about corruption.
Yes, James, we are talking about corruption. The corruption rampant throughout the entire Trump adminstration, the daily violations of threat Emoluments clause, the misuse of federal funds by numerous cabinet heads, the consisting with known criminals, and the criminal violations of campaign finance laws already committed by this president. We are not talking about Fake News fabrication s about the Clinton Foundation which are prove lies. Conservative perfidy.
1
@James
Evidence?
Come to think of it, Giuliani has inherent conflict of interests in representing Trump for purely political purposes, and conducting his private businesses simultaneously.
Further, if Giuliani has security clearances, they should be immediately revoked by Trump, in that his "job" with Trump is totally political.
Trump set the precedent of revoking security clearances on a purely partisan political basis, which he too, must now follow. He cannot now deviate from them.
Anyway, Rudy is getting too long in the tooth, trying to walk and chew gum simultaneously.
20
This is the same person who used his position to protect big drug company executives from prosecution in the opioid scandal.
24
Those whom Giuliani interviened for are "fighting" now to amend the prosecuting law by eliminating the article that allows video and audio surveillance as evidence in their own prosecuting files. He defends or at least tries to lobby for those who were initially indicted based on evidence collected by video and audio/phone tapping means. And this is only one of their so called fight against the so called Deep State. I reiterate, Putin wins at all times while your President Trump and his cronies play by his crooked rules.
12
Louis Freeh, a blast from the past, champion of CALEA, which forces consumers to pay so their communications can be monitored by the government an pre-empts new services. How many times have I heard that the FCC couldn't allow some innovation because of CALEA?
2
I'd like to see the media give Mr. Giuliani the Kellyanne Conway treatment, meaning that he is unwelcome as a guest/pundit/what-have-you because it is impossible to take seriously a person willing to assert that "truth isn't truth."
19
Rudy has truly "gone round the twist" as our UK friends put it. He's arguing AGAINST cracking down on corruption!
And it's an out-and-out lie that it has NO connection to Trump. Our most corrupt President in our history is fighting against corruption investigations with all his being because he's clearly, obviously guilty.
26
I think we say "gone round the bend" rather than the "twist" but totally agree with the sentiment. The money obsession has obvuously got (gotten!) to Giuliani. Anything is OK as long as it brings in the money. Who cares about corruption and peddling of influence in a place as remote and obscure as Romania (when you're sitting in an office in downtown Manhattan). Was initially dismayed that Giuliani, whose reputation had been pretty solid, pinned his colo(u)rs to the Trump mast, but now understand that they deserve each other. Both totally corrupt, totally compromised and totally discredited.
6
"The law should be used to protect criminals, not hurt them!"
A crazed Guliani went on to say.
21
Giuliani should be put out of our misery. He is abusing what tiny authority he might have to issue statements, and I, for one, am sick of seeing his name in print, or anywhere else, for that matter. He is a man with no scruples, values, or character. He is useless to the nation.
19
Methinks that Mr. G. fears that someone here will get the same idea to crack down on corruption and snag him and his clientele.
18
Looks like the Freeh group and Giuliani are defending your typical Eastern European corrupt millionaire, similar to what Mr. Manafort did in Ukraine for years. I’ll bet that both Freeh and Giuliani are also making a ton of money in their “private practice”.
18
How could anyone seriously doubt Rudy Giuliani’s integrity when he’s wearing an American flag pin on his lapel- just like his boss?
16
Oh Susan, you have nailed conservative "thought" so brilliantly and so concisely. Thanks.
1
Giuliani is earning a buck here, but is on the wrong side of the facts. Dragnea is a ruthless corrupt and barely literate head of party who makes Trump look like a lord, while Kovesi, the anti corruption chief who was unjustly fired, is one of the very few decent and well respected bureacrats in Ronania, with a stellar reputation. The current government of Romania is as bad and corrupt and unprofessional as all the ones before, if not more. People are always hired for their political sponsors,not on merit, and business development and dvdn justice almost always involves a bribe.
10
Another example of why Trump needs to go. It’s unbelievably insane. Giuliani is out of his mind or what’s left of it.
12
More propping up by Trump of criminal oligarchs.
15
Mmmh, maybe some of these corrupt Romanians have Trump properties?
12
"part of his private practice"
Private practice of what?
Perhaps Mr. Giuliani should be appointed to an official government post, minister of propaganda to the President for example, to clarify the context of any public statements he makes.
14
Is Rudy anticipating it coming to light that Mr. Trump has been laundering Russian money in Romania?
17
Among numerous other places
7
"Rudolph W. Giuliani said his letter to the Romanian president was part of his private practice and had 'nothing to do with the U.S. government.' " Maybe Romania does have issues, but who's zooming who as to whether this is not part of The Donald's campaign of distraction.
3
Bear with me here... When I was little I once asked where plagues of locusts go when all the crops are gone. After all, such a large swarm can hardly disappear into thin air, right? I later learned that their swarming behavior is triggered by environmental/biochemical conditions, which is why they do not carve a constant path of destruction around the world.
I noted that Giuliani had been delightfully absent from the U.S. morning news cycle, but I got that same nervous feeling. Like a plague of locusts, the likes of Giuliani, Bannon and, of course, Trump, are instinctive destroyers. But unlike locusts, they have no "off" setting. While I was enjoying Giuliani's absence, a part of me knew that if he was not to be found in the U.S. at the moment, he was surely up to some mischief abroad. And behold, he descends upon Romania (and woe unto its populous).
Under Trump, discord and corruption have become a U.S. export. Giuliani's anti-anti-corruption efforts are just one example. There's also Steve Bannon. Having helped deliver the U.S. into the hands of a degenerate, he has now left his weakened host to infect Europe. And then there's Trump, who makes Giuliani and Bannon seem like mere heralds of a darker figure who is to come; he who is the hope of tyrants and the bane of western democratic order.
As our allies hope to live, they must take heed and be watchful for the identifying mark upon Trump and his servants: "Made in the U.S.A." #MAGA
12
I wonder if the Trump Republicans who rally around the banner of nativism, wall building, America First nationalism have any cognitive dissonance with regard to their fearless leader and his representatives who have their hands in so many ongoing foreign business entanglements. It's more than ironic. It's pretty weird.
16
Had to read it a couple of times before getting the point, but you're totally right. Their "America First" speechifying is totally undermined by the quick bucks they personally make from their dodgy clients based in countries where the rule of law can't be taken for granted. "America first" or "Me first"? And the relatively strong polling of Trump shows that this, the biggest con in history, has worked.
9
His attitude can only be described as supersenile. He isn't master of his brain anymore. Sorry to tell you that.
6
Please do not be sorry
It is true
5
Yeah right..was paid by Dragnea ! Rudolf is just influencer paid toate make lobby.Maybe for 10 bilion makes lobby for Al Quaeda.
2
Giuliani is a swamp thing now; no longer America’s Mayor.
10
@EdW
When was he ever America's mayor ,who wrote that "fake news"?
Rudy and his law firm made millions of dollars on Rudy lecturing other countries on security after 9-11 he used that horrid attack on our city for huge monetary gain, one
fee that sticks in my mind after 9-11 wasa one million dollar fee he received from Mexico City for a 4 hour trip there to teach them how to be safe from attack ,even though as Mayor here at the time of the real attack he was caught by this act of war himself by surprise .
@Ed Never was, except to know-nothing and easily-conned Middle Americans. NYers saw this guy for what he was a long time ago
Giuliani is a senile Trump pawn. He should get while the getting is good before gets in deep trouble.
8
Who's surprised that Giuliani supports corruption?
15
Rudy is wading into Romanian politics why?
9
This was truly a stupid and nasty intervention into Romanian politics. The anti-corruption team has done an admirable job in Romania. Johannis is a superb president. Apparently the Trump administration likes to praise other would-be authoritarians and crooks.
4
Oooh. I hope this catches the eye of Mueller's team. Amnesty for Romanian govt crooks? Now what could possibly motivate Rudy to make that request?
10
Rudy should just use the same strategy he employs defending POTUS on corruption: go on TV and make damning admissions against his client's interest.
4
He's lost his mind! What he hell gives him the right to "preach" to other countries when the one he currently lives in is being corrupted by him and the amoral hoodlums in office.
This is really the pot calling the kettle black!
7
Who appointed Trump and his demented sidekick Giuliani, kings of the world.
Further, to avoid any appearance of impropriety, he must initially stipulate his other personal interests up front, and clearly note first that one thing has nothing to do with the other.
Otherwise his statements could become grist for the mill of grievance committees.
Better still. why doesn't he do one thing or the other. Maybe his memory would then improve.
3
Not content with helping to foul up his own country, Giuliani turns his attention overseas. Great.
16
In this Mr. Giuliani is correct. I have been following Romania's anti-corruption efforts for years; unfortunately, the way in which the DNA (Anti-Corruption Bureau) is set up makes it an ideal weapon to use against political enemies, and it has been used in this way starting with (former) President Traian Basescu. Many trials have been abusive, not allowing defendants to present evidence or, at times, even speak in their defense. Romania needs anti-corruption measures, but better ones than it now has and I hope that Mr. Giuliani's and Mr. Freeh's intervention can help them bring that about.
1
@Kiki Munshi, it's beside the point whether Rudy 911 is right or wrong on Romania. It's the impression of a conflict of interest and a sale of access to the President that matters.
11
@Kiki Munshi
Sir with al do respect, if Giuliani would sent a similar letter or press a similar intervention to any other democratic state in Europe..how would it look like? Afterall they are not representing any State nor have any direct interests in Romania other than their paying clients.
4
@Kiki Munshi,
I am too following the anti-corruption efforts in my country, but directly from Bucharest. The way DNA is set up has nothing to do political police, if that's what you meant. besides that, DNA has again nothing to do with trial procedures - that's the court of law territory. it depends largely on how you have been following and what - we too have one or two fox news channels down here.
for a clearer perspective from the battlefield, here it goes. romania is a deeply corrupt country. there is a disarming number of officials (basically 95% of them) taken to court mainly because they cannot justify enormous wealth (that enough should make you think - just imagine yacht parties and immense properties in exotic islands). and they go through more than fair trials - some can get away with it thanks to very good lawyers that take advantage of procedure errors and such. some are cought in the act while asking for bribes for little favors with sums that would leave you speechless - imagine a 50 million USD bribe for a go-ahead to build a supermarket. and when they file for abuse, it's because many a time they want to clear their name and keep their fortunes.
I have to admit I'm confused about this. Anticorruption drives are usually good, but not always; sometimes people in power just want to drive out corrupted people who are not THEIR corrupted people. And it's Romania, which makes it doubly suspicious. I'm certainly not defending Giuliani, just having a hard time following the story.
2
@ariella Rachel Maddow summarized it pretty well recently: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=837818208794&id=36300160
1
@ariella
you're right about romania - it's a terrible country. but the anticorruption fight does not take sides. it's apolitical, mainly because the DNA prosecutors are (still) independent, highly professional and they have had international monitoring and support from EU and USA, among others.
in fact, one reason the officials hate them is exactly because they are independent and cannot be influenced to frame political enemies. for a corrupt politician that is used to buy everybody, this is achingly irritating (apparently mr. giuliani is for sale, for a change) - so here they go with the whole narrative about the deep state and exaggerations about abuses, and with spending an appalling amount of money to get people like louis feehr and rudy giuliani to lobby for them.
4
@ariellail.
Let me help clear it up: if it involves Rudy Giuliani or Donald Trump it is nefarious, immoral, and nothing but lies.
3
Around 70% of Romanians do not support this Government and now a lawyer of the President of the most powerful democracy in the world tells that members of this Government should be pardoned. Now I hate Trump more, even he apparently is not involved in this matter. Romania is in turmoil today and is on the path of authoritarianism just like Hungary and Poland. Russian 1 the Western democracies 0.
26
This is another Trump reaction lashing out at anti corruption. While I don’t know Romanian politics amp crime, the response by Giuliani for Trump seems likely to again criticize anything or anyone he likes. What I mean is one wonders how many Romanian criminals have LLCs and off shore companies funding real estate deals with Trump and related family businesses. There’s no out cry of value from this administration which defies absolute facts and aids and abets Trump, Pence and GOP corruption. Comments on Romania can only be at the request of those seeking help from the Don. Corruption, racism and reactive actions coupled with his disrespect for everyone of merit here at home and abroad.
10
It’s staggeringly ridiculous, but disturbingly unsurprising that this dolt refuses to see this as a conflict of interest.
When will this madness end?
29
I fear we’re going to need a bigger calendar.
1
Rudy Giuliani has done more to end corruption and stop the mafia during his career than almost any other American that I can think of. For all these people commenting about Giuliani being corrupt or spreading corruption, where are your facts? You don't like him because he is representing the President, I get it. Someone even accused him of not caring as long as his bill gets paid, and he is representing the President for free. Please Giuliani record against corruption can be easily found online. Show me where he is even accused of a crime, any crime in his career.
1
@Mark Giuliani has done more to end corruption and stop the mafia?
Where are your facts? Truth isn’t truth, you know.
3
That’s not the point. The specific lint is this is Trump trying to protect criminal “good guys friends” abroad as he does here. Giuliani is not the man who was an effective prosecutor and mayor. He’s losing or has lost his marbles.
3
So you don't think Rudy Giuliani created the slightest appearance of a conflict of interest when he decided to attempt to represent both the President of the United States and some shady campaign that opposes the President of Romania and his efforts to establish the rule of law in that country? You don't think Giuliani created the impression that he's selling access to Donald Trump for corrupt Eastern European businessmen?
4
Like his boss Donald, Rudy doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut, and also like his boss his mouth is big enough that he can put his foot in it.
13
I got a kick out of this statement.
“Rudolph Giuliani is a famous federal prosecutor of the United States, who has fought with the mafia and corruption, and whose moral and professional probity commands respect all over the world,” Mr. Dragnea said in a statement,
How poorly informed is Mr. Dragnea? If you set your moral compass towards Giuliani then you might as well just plead guilty and be done with it.
23
So, Giuliani is in favor of corruption? Tell me something I didn't know. Just look at who he works for.
21
Given some of the things this pathetic clown has said lately, I would definitely not hire this lawyer for any reason whatsoever.
19
As per usual, stinks to high heaven.
13
Giuliani appears to share Trump's affinity for Eastern European corruption. Perhaps he's hoping to profit from it just as Trump has. They have now both shown a strong interest in perpetuating it.
27
It should come as no surprise that the President's lawyer is pursuing his personal business interests since the President is pursuing his personal business interests. I don't know about draining the swam, but these guys have opened the floodgates to a whole new level of corruption.
27
Mr. Giuliani has fallen far from being "America's mayor" in the aftermath of 9/11. The more outrageous things he does, such as this provocative letter regarding the internal workings of a foreign government, trying, with a straight face, to defend the excesses of Donald Trump, makes one wonder if he even realizes how far he's fallen, and that he's still well on the way down? If it all wasn't so serious, it would be like a tragic act in an opera, sad to watch, but at least you'd know it was a fiction and that real people weren't involved. Sadly, this isn't fiction. And it is tragic.
15
Mr. Giuliani was probably hoping that his letter had extra weight due to his relationship to the president. He was also probably hoping it would not blowback the way it did, but he had this little disclaimer ready in case it did.
20
Goodness, but Mr. Giuliani clearly works hard for mob bosses everywhere.
47
@Don Blume
Call it amnesty, call it a pardon. Rudy is all for it.
1
Rudolph clearly misses the limelight. Sad to see him diminish his record of fighting mob bosses and helping to lead NYC and the nation out of the 9/11 tragedy.
5
Lack of corruption is a serious problem in Europe and Mr. Giuliani is working tirelessly to fix it.
29
Of course Trump has connections to our ally Romania and peddles his influence over there. His business partners are well-connected to Romanian politics as well. Trump fundraiser Elliott Broidy sought help last summer from the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and lobbyist Rick Gates, a key figure in the Russia influence probe, as a Broidy defense company was trying to win business in Romania.
Broidy pleaded guilty in 2009 to providing nearly $1 million in bribes to New York state pension officials in exchange for their investment of $250 million with his Israel-focused Markstone Capital Partners.
Broidy invited to several Trump inauguration events, Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu and Liviu Dragnea, speaker of the lower chamber of Romania’s parliament and head of the country’s leading political party and met briefly with Trump and Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and Trump’s NSA pal Michael Flynn.
It's anyone's guess why Rudy is interfering and for whom.
27
Not surprising that corrupt men don't want to end corruption. Not surprising that corrupt men hide behind platitudes that suit their predatory agenda.
19
Rudy Giuliani has completed his move to the Dark Side.
Based on his recent behavior, it's hard to believe that Giuliani was ever a prosecutor.
This is an example of what money and power can to to some people.
32
what the article failed to mention is that Louis Freeh is the lawyer of Dan Adamescu, the 2nd richest Romanian, who made money from real estate fraud with the support of various high ranking political officials. his ties with those officials became clear when he was prosecuted a few years back and sentenced to 7 years in prison. soon after, he fled the country and and decided to sue the state to clear his name and keep his fortune.
now, one does not need to be a rocket scientist to see the connection.
53
Please don’t confuse us with the facts.
1
@Razvan Dumitrescu
Whoa. Former director of the FBI?
2
Excellent photo to put with this piece. Totally captures Giuliani’s unbalanced, disheveled, confused state of being.
14
President Trump should nominated Rudy Giuliani to the post of Special Ambassador on Spreading Corruption.
29
I think Jared Kushner already has that job.
3
His Romanian admirers to the contrary, Mr. Giulani's reputation for probity has taken a big hit. His adventure in Manaforteism on behalf of Romanian political factions, like Manaforte's in Ukraine, won't help his reputation.
The great problem is that our consultant class takes clients who hire them to oppose long standing U.S. policies. Hired guns have a right to disagree with policy, but by favoring foreign corruption, they make America look foolish.
11
Well, obviously Corruption isn't Corruption.
23
can we have one of those crack downs here?!!!!
9
Reminds me of the time Mr. 9iu11ani assailed President Obama for his "anti-colonial" worldview.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/02/20/a-history-of-p...
And that's a bad thing why, Rudy?
6
How fitting for Nosferatu
6
Mr. Giuliani makes money for his advice and will say anything supporting those who pay him. Please do not apply standard rules of ethics and integrity to this man.
20
Rudolph is just finding his niche. He does have the requisite looks for a resident of the Carpathian Mountains. He just looking for a nice cool dark place to rest after he takes care of a few loose ends.
13
Well said, it's just too bad vampires had to be insulted because of this third rate bloodsucker.
3
<< Mr. Freeh’s company is known to be representing a Romanian businessman, Gabriel Popoviciu, who was sentenced to seven years in prison in August 2017 in a case centered on a real-estate deal in northern Bucharest. >>
Let me get this straight. Freeh represents foreign interests. Giuliani works for Freeh's company. Is "Rudy" registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) or is he just "pulling a Manafort"? Or did he just overlook that detail?
38
The GOP is the party of corruption, here and everywhere.
27
Not content with defending corrupt businessmen on just one continent, I see.
26
Amnesty for those convicted of corruption?
Methinks the personal attorney/not personal attorney of President Trump doth project too much - into Trump's near future.
We all know you hate anti-corruption investigations, Rudy.
9
Rudy Giuliani is actively engaged in foreign lobbying? Is he registered to do that kind of thing?
I hear you can get in lots of trouble with the government for that stuff.
11
American criminals, Romanian criminals....Defending low-lifes is the one area in which Giuliani is not bigoted.
18
Remember about a million years ago when Rudy was considered a man of moral rectitude?
Now he's a two-bit hustler selling his services to corrupt Russian stooges around the world. And to Donald Trump. Strange coincidence.
15
Didn't Mr. Trump marry Melania Knavs, his third wife, and she came from the country long considered the most corrupt states in the European Union? Corruption marrying more corruption.
4
@Milque Toast Let's not drag her into this mud.
3
swamp creature
7
Giuliani protecting corrupt officials? Imagine that...........
10
What kind of person is against anti-corruption? Oh yeah, Trump's lawyer.
26
Clearly, he has NO PROBLEM with working for corrupt factions... Truth isn't Truth after all...
34
Upon hearing the news that her son King Edward VIII, later to become HRH Duke of Windsor, was abdicating , his mother Queen Mary was famously known to have said, '' How awful, we mind as well be living in Romania.''
I'm sure that if Queen Mary were alive to-day she would apply the same sentiment and perhaps suggest that Mr Mayor might care to move to Romania.
The language difference should not be an issue since most of us do not understand him.
18
This is the guy that tried to have cops enforce jay walking in NYC and made a point to make the lives of "squeegee men" that much more miserable. But when it is a Romanian official whose paying him, lighten up? He is morally bankrupt.
28
Actually, this is more proof that Rudy Giuliani is illegally acting as an unregistered foreign agent--one of the crimes that Manafort committed. Rudy was previously called out in the press for giving paid speeches to the Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK), which was listed as a terrorist organization from 1997 to 2012.
Might be time for Mueller to take a closer look at another Trump associate...
108
had hoped I would never read Louis Freeh's name again. As a Penn State alum I watched him completely bungle his investigation, to the point that his report was considered inadmissible in court.
Figures he would be hanging around with a washed-up hack like Giuliani.
31
To be fair, Freeh has been involved in much more important events than the investigation into Penn State's coverup of child sexual abuse.
Nosferatu, in the flesh. Seriously.
11
Russia, Romania, Ukraine ... Trump, Manafort, Giuliani ...
some people find it extremely difficult to succeed in the U.S.A.
51
Giuliani doesn't even understand what 'Rule of Law' is here in the US, so what could he possibly know about it in Romania? What he is well versed in is graft and lying.
30
Does Rudy recall Joe Colombo's anti-FBI protests during the 1970s? His Italian Americanism blew up in his own face when the other four families let Joe Gallo take out the loud mouthed show boat. The Russian mafia may regret letting Trump take on his own Justice system as the FBI moves in on their obvious real estate/money laundry in the USA.
10
Gotta love the irony in this. And in the mean time Nosferatu (Giuliani) is working for the most corrupt person in the Oval Office since Richard Nixon.
33
@susan
Since Nixon? No, the Nixon daughters are relieved that Trump has let their father off the hook.
3
Giuliani is hoping the Romania will send a letter to the US when OUR corrupt leaders are sent to jail.
5
Corrupt? Senile? Both? Heck, he was never very smart. Total trifecta.
13
"illiberal democracy"??? What kind of tortured euphemism is that? Clarity would be better served by actually descriptive words like: dictatorship, authoritarian government, fascism, etc. Where are the editors who should be rooting out such a fainthearted, sycophantic, absurd phrase like "illiberal democracy"???
12
But Poland isn't a fascist state or a dictatorship. It's a democracy, albeit not a liberal one. It's an illiberal democracy. It's not a euphemism.
1
Giuliani is a traitor to democracy. That makes him a perfect fit for his boss - who is in the news today, spewing fury that Google is screening out conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones that his voters love to follow (for those not up on their fake news, Jones is the infamous inciter of terrorist attacks against grieving Newtown families.)
26
“Rudolph Giuliani is a famous federal prosecutor of the United States, who has fought with the mafia and corruption, and whose moral and professional probity commands respect all over the world,” Mr. Dragnea said in a statement,....."
Unfortunately for the US citizens and Romanians , Mr. Guiliani has chosen to work for criminals here and abroad, rather than make an honest living. Shame on you, Rudy!
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@EPMD It may be unfortunate that he's working for criminals here and abroad, but at least we're lucky that he's spectacularly incompetent.
Giuliani raises incompetence to an art form. Generations in the future will study how someone so ridiculously incompetent gained such influence (after they get through studying George W. Bush).
So says the man who uttered "Truth isn't Truth".
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I can understand Giuliani's concern about rooting out corruption in Romania. I mean where else would he go when exiled?
No, he is not entitled to a private opinion, but, yes, on further thought, as long as it's racist, myopic and in general agreement with trump, who will also need a new place to habituate after prison.
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Giuliani could have had the legacy of a hero who turned NYC around and was the leader the city needed after 9/11. Instead he chose a very different path and now using the same passion he brought to the US Attorney's office and to the Mayor's office, he covers for some of the most despicable people who do not value democracy.
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@Steve, he became flipper-in-chief.
4
Well, at least Giuliani is consistent.
If you are going to be pro-corruption at home, you should be pro-corruption abroad.
After all, crooks need to make a living.
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Not long ago (August, 2nd), John McCain wrote a letter to our government. That letter, opposed to this one, was well documented (read it here : https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/8/senators-mccain-mu... So, in light of his passing away, I would like to send you my deepest condolences for your loss. I am truly amazed that in the last part of his life this true American hero found the time to try and help the Romanian people who are trapped in a web of corruption, Russian propaganda and spies, lies and deceit. All members of our Government are Mr. Dragnea's puppets, puppets with one single aim: the destruction of our judicial system so they can escape jail, while our good neighbour the Russian Federation extends its malign influence here after the Annexation of Crimea. To my view, Mr. Giuliani should be ashamed of himself for trying to portray the Romanian judicial system as flawed. His reason is money. What he fails to see is that the Romanian people want to embrace European and American values and it cannot do that when politicians keep stealing money.
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Any surprise Giuliani would defend corrupt officials when he’s a major part of the most corrupt US government, ever?
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"“Rudolph Giuliani is a famous federal prosecutor of the United States, who has fought with the mafia and corruption, and whose moral and professional probity commands respect all over the world,” Mr. Dragnea said in a statement . . .".
Poor Mr. Dragnea, you haven't been following the news.
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@Diana
...the real news.
2
@Diana
Sounds like an ill-informed Wikipedia troll.
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@Diana
Re: "Poor Mr. Dragnea" - not poor, just corrupt, which explains the praise for Trump's lawyer.
Oh, on the subject of lawyers, a little known fact - in a part of Romania, the famous Transylvania, there's special cemeteries for lawyers.
In those cemeteries the graves are dug at twice the normal depth - they say that deep down, lawyers such as Giuliani are good people.
“ whose moral and professional probity commands respect all over the world,” Mr. Dragnea said
Bwahahaha!
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@Hope Madison
I dragged up images of this Dragnea, and first up is this little gem. Is this who all those facing down corruption charges run to when the heat gets too close?
https://www.timesofisrael.com/skipping-corruption-hearing-romania-leader...
7
Unbelievable that anyone, anywhere would consult with this clown on anything. Of course, Giuliani will defend corruption. Probably the only way he "consults" is by graft.
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Rudy Giulani is one of the foulest human beings to ever hold the spotlight on the public stage. He makes Roy Cohn look like a saint.
Giuliani has no scruples, no sense of honor, no humanity. He spews garbage, defends the vilest criminals, espouses dangerous doctrine, and represents the absolute lowest level of greed and corruption.
It's not new - he's been doing it for the entire 40+ years he has spent in public life.
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Ostrich jacket wearers of a feather, flock together.
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Rudy has shown in his dementia his true low life, criminal self. At least he stopped using 9/11 in every sentence.
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@Paulie
I imagine touting his 9/11 creds drives down interest in his services in Saudi Arabia.
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It’s just sad how low could one go for money! There is no such thing as “cracking too much on corruption”! Corruption should have ZERO tolerance! If this is an issue for Giulliani, I’m happy his political carrier is closed to the end! Shame on you Giulliani! ... and when you think he was a candidate for presidency and he is Trump’s advocate! Giulianni is not only stupid, he is also greedy! Horror!
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Trump throws up chaff calling out the "deep state." Meanwhile, his central players are all dirty with global criminals. Has Giuliani been a deep mole all along?
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I can't wait for Bill Maher's vampire jokes.
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If HE is your lawyer, paid or not, you are a FOOL.
Seriously.
31
Expect a tweet on Romania from toddler-in-chief
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@Jide
Yep, along the lines of - these "good people" need our help. Pleeez.
2
"...whose moral and professional probity commands respect all over the world.” Oh, that's choice. That's a good one. Haha. Rudy's up to his armpits in slime.
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Gangsters are people, too. Gangsters need love, not prejudicial law suits.
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Rudy always stands up for corruption wherever he kind find it in the world.
What a shell of a person. “Truth is not Truth” Rudy has become the mafia’s lawyer.
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The fact this corrupt admin is making an effort to promote corruption in other countries shouldnt be taken lightly. Why would these so called us officials be so concerned with helping convicted criminal gov officals of another country unless they are involved in the corruption themselves. We need to look into this deeper the depth of corruption in the whitehouse right now is emence. There are many honest hardworking good Americans the can see the lies this admin is responsible for and the deceit they spred. this admin is involved and need to be investigated.
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Rudy Giuliani is now a public joke and a proven liar. His reputation built on decades of work as a respected prosecutor is destroyed, and everything he says should now be viewed with suspicion. I hope the money was worth it, Rudy.
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Now the Trump gang are fighting anti-corruption efforts abroad as well as at home. They aren't even trying to hide their amorality, corruption and dishonesty.
Giuliani has gone from being America's mayor to being a shameless toady for the grifter Donald Trump.
He had a special place in America and he chose to throw it away to more than serve, to abase himself before, the man in America most undeserving of either of those acts.
I'll say this, if Donald Trump really did shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and it was up to Toady Giuliani to prosecute him then yes, Trump would have nothing to worry about.
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But for carpetbagging off the events of 9/11, he'd have vanished by now. Why would anyone think the guy who was mayor when the city was devastated by an attack is capable of security or safety? He personally ordered the building of the NYC Emergency Response Center directly across from the twin towers. Guess what burned and collapsed that day, taking a priest and a fireman with it?
No one in NY takes this guy seriously.
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@UWSer And, adding to your comment, remember he claimed Bloomberg should not take office that January although he had been duly elected? I agree that most New Yorkers have little if any respect for Guiliani.
7
Giuliani is Trump’s creature, delighting in furthering his corrupt master’s chaotic desires. It’s sad how such an evil and vindictive man as a Trump could fool so-called evangelical Christians to vote for him. Can anyone name one unselfish or charitable act that Trump has ever done? Has anyone ever seen a picture of Trump playing with his son Barron?
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@proffexpert Melania probably won't let her husband anywhere near the kid.
6
“... Giuliani wrote that an amnesty should be given to those who had been convicted in the crackdown, citing the “excesses” of the country’s anticorruption agency. ...”
Like everyone in the RNC and Trump Organizations about to fall under the crackdown of OUR anti-corruption agencies?
Has he fallen apart to the point he cannot tell the difference between “United States” and “Rumania”?
Or is there some connection between his client and the most corrupt government in the E.U.?
22
I wonder if Giullani has registered as an agent of a foreign power ?
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"continuing damage to the rule of law being done under the guise of effective law enforcement"
Or as this New York "mayor" who gave us cops that brutalized black men while saying "It's Giuliani Time" would call it, his area of expertise.
18
“Rudolph Giuliani is a famous federal prosecutor... whose moral and professional probity commands respect all over the world," said Mr. Dragnea. Well, I have news for you, Sir. Giuliani has sold himself to the dark side of lies, corruption, and coverups. It'd be best not to heed any thing he says.
35
I smell a Trump real estate issue here..
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Giuliani's right to be concerned - if Romania starts throwing corrupt criminals out of office the USA might start doing the same. I'm sure we'd all hate to see the corrupt Dotard get tossed in the slammer.
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@mja I would, actually. That would mean Pence is president. God forbid, pun intended.
The truth isn't always the truth!!!
17
Giuliani would like to see a dictator like Trump continue to rule Romania. The Romanians seem to be tired of this corruption. Will Americans finally get tired of Trump and his cronies like Giuliani ?
17
I guess this means that Giuliani favors the pro corruption party over the anti corruption party?
48
Not surprising given Mr. Guliani's staunch opposition to anti corruption activities within our own government. But his sudden concern over individual rights is downright laughable.
Let's see where this really leads once all the dots are connected.
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“I advise on security, law enforcement and terrorism in many different countries. Private lawyers for the president have all had private practices.”
-Rudy Giuliani
How is it still possible for this compendium of lawyer jokes in human form to find work?
Serious problems require serious people. It's been years since Giuliani could be taken seriously.
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Follow the money... What is Giuliani embroiled in? Before joining Trump, was he dabbling in shady financial deals?
---
www.rimaregas.com
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Looks like Giuliani ( who took on the NYC mob years ago ) now specializes in protecting mob like corrupt leaders, at home and abroad.
Sad. Shameful.
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@Jean I thnk his mob-busting back in the day was cover. Would it stand scrutiny to look at whether all he prosecuted was the obvious low-hanging fruit of out-of-favor lowlifes?
3
@Jean
Yes, and it all seems to orbit around real estate developers. What a corrupt lot of them. Shameful.
3
Rudy has truly gone down the rabbit hole. It is a shame to watch.
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@Frank
It really isn't. He created this on his very own. He chose who to befriend. No sympathy whatsoever.
Reap what you sow - own it.
6
This is exhibit A of the “ swamp” and it’s denizens in action. I wonder if we’ll hear a condemnation of Giuliani from Republicans?? Absolutely disgraceful.
75
Giuliani's "private clients"?? Puh-lease.
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What a low-life.
When your on TV every night lying and contorting for the so called President, then everything you do in life is related to that.
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