Senate

Graham invites Giuliani to testify about recent Ukraine trip

by Jordain Carney - 12/14/19 6:52 PM ET

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is inviting Rudy Giuliani, President Trump’s personal lawyer, to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about his recent trip to Ukraine.

Graham, during an interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation” set to air on Sunday, said Giuliani could appear before his panel but that it should remain separate from the looming Senate impeachment trial.

“Well, I don’t know what he found, but if he wants to come the Judiciary Committee — Rudy, if you want to come and tell us what you found, I’ll be glad to talk to you. When it comes to impeachment, I want to base my decision on the record assembled in the House,” Graham said.

Giuliani, who has emerged as a central character in the House impeachment inquiry, recently traveled to Ukraine and met with a host of former and current officials as part of an effort to unearth more dirt on Trump’s political rivals, including 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden.

Giuliani told The Washington Post that Trump has asked him to brief GOP senators and the Justice Department on his findings. A source told The Wall Street Journal that Giuliani told the president that his Ukraine trip produced “more than you can imagine.”

Graham also added that he did not know what Giuliani has found or “what he was up to when he was in the Ukraine,” but that he was willing to use the Judiciary Committee to look into Hunter Biden and Ukraine.

“We can look at what Rudy’s got and Joe Biden, Hunter Biden and anything else you want to look at after impeachment. But if Rudy wants to come to the Judiciary Committee and testify about what he found, he’s welcome to do so,” Graham added.

Trump and his allies have latched onto Hunter Biden’s connection to Ukraine as the former vice president seeks the Democratic nomination to challenge Trump in 2020. There’s no indication Joe Biden was acting with his son’s interests in mind, and the former vice president has denied any such motivations.

It’s the second time Graham has invited Giuliani to testify before the committee.

Graham previously invited him to testify about “corruption and other improprieties involving Ukraine” in October. But Graham subsequently told reporters that he believed Giuliani was unlikely to agree to appear before the panel.

Tags Donald Trump Joe Biden Lindsey Graham Rudy Giuliani