President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump conversation with foreign leader part of complaint that led to standoff between intel chief, Congress: report Pelosi: Lewandowski should have been held in contempt ‘right then and there’ Trump to withdraw FEMA chief nominee: report MORE’s personal attorney Rudy GiulianiRudy GiulianiGiuliani tears into Democrats after House opens probe into whether he pressured Ukraine to target Biden House Democrats launch probe into whether Trump, Giuliani pressured Ukraine to target Biden Ted Cruz fires back at Lori Lightfoot: ‘Mayor, your anger is misplaced’ MORE gave conflicting answers in an interview on CNN on Thursday night as to whether he asked Ukraine to look into former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenBiden lead shrinks, Sanders and Warren close gap: poll Biden allies: Warren is taking a bite out of his electability argument Budowsky: Donald, Boris, Bibi — The right in retreat MORE, saying at one point “of course I did.”
After CNN host Chris CuomoChristopher (Chris) Charles CuomoSuper PAC head spars with CNN’s Cuomo over Ocasio-Cortez ad Nadler: Impeachment inquiry a ‘made-up term’ but it’s essentially ‘what we are doing’ CNN climate town hall finishes last in viewers among cable news broadcasts MORE questioned whether Giuliani had asked Ukraine to investigate Biden, Giuliani said, “No, actually I didn’t. I asked the Ukraine to investigate the allegations that there was interference in the election of 2016 by the Ukrainians for the benefit of Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonQueer Marine veteran launches House bid after incumbent California Rep. Susan Davis announces retirement Poll: Trump neck and neck with top 2020 Democrats in Florida Former immigration judge fined, temporarily banned from federal service for promoting Clinton policies MORE.”
“You never asked anything about Hunter Biden? You never asked anything about Joe Biden?” Cuomo followed up.
“The only thing I asked about Joe Biden is to get to the bottom of how it was that Lutsenko … dismissed the case against AntAC,” Giuliani said, referring to former Ukrainian prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko and the Ukrainian-based Anti-Corruption Action Centre (AntAC).
“So you did ask Ukraine to look into Joe Biden,” Cuomo said.
“Of course I did,” Giuliani replied.
“You just said you didn’t,” Cuomo responded.
“I didn’t ask them to look into Joe Biden,” Giuliani shot back. “I asked them to look into the allegations that related to my client which tangentially involved Joe Biden.”
In 2016, Biden threatened to withhold $1 billion in U.S. loan guarantees unless Ukraine removed a top prosecutor, who was later voted out amid corruption allegations, according to The New York Times.
Biden’s younger son, Hunter Biden, was a board member of an energy company that the prosecutor had also been looking into, according to the newspaper.
Giuliani previously said last month that he had spoken to a Ukrainian official about Biden, who is the Democratic presidential front-runner, saying his conversation focused on Biden’s possible role in the prosecutor’s dismissal of the gas company investigation.
The Trump lawyer’s appearance on CNN Thursday night came amid new scrutiny over a separate whistleblower complaint regarding Trump’s discussions with a foreign leader filed by a member of the U.S. intelligence community.
The Washington Post reported Thursday that the complaint involves Ukraine, though few details about the complaint have emerged.
