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| Giuliani Pushed Trump to Deport Cleric Sought by Turkey, Ex-White House Officials Said | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, repeatedly urged President Trump to arrange for the deportation of a Turkish cleric, Fethullah Gulen, calling him a violent extremist who needed to face justice in Turkey, former White House officials said on Tuesday. | Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer, repeatedly urged President Trump to arrange for the deportation of a Turkish cleric, Fethullah Gulen, calling him a violent extremist who needed to face justice in Turkey, former White House officials said on Tuesday. |
| Turkey has requested that the United States hand over Mr. Gulen, a permanent American resident living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, to be tried on charges that he instigated a failed coup in Turkey in 2016. | |
| The disclosure came as Mr. Giuliani escalated his battle with Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday by defying a congressional subpoena for documents about a rogue campaign that pressured Ukraine’s president to dig up dirt on Mr. Trump’s political rivals. | The disclosure came as Mr. Giuliani escalated his battle with Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday by defying a congressional subpoena for documents about a rogue campaign that pressured Ukraine’s president to dig up dirt on Mr. Trump’s political rivals. |
| The characterization of Mr. Gulen as a dangerous extremist echoed language that Michael T. Flynn, the former national security adviser, used to describe the cleric when he was serving as a secret lobbyist for the Turkish government while also advising Mr. Trump’s campaign in 2016. | The characterization of Mr. Gulen as a dangerous extremist echoed language that Michael T. Flynn, the former national security adviser, used to describe the cleric when he was serving as a secret lobbyist for the Turkish government while also advising Mr. Trump’s campaign in 2016. |
| Mr. Giuliani was at times so insistent that a number of White House officials came to believe he was secretly lobbying for Turkey, one of the former officials said. Officials said they even checked lobbying records to see if Mr. Giuliani was registered on behalf of Turkey. He was not. | Mr. Giuliani was at times so insistent that a number of White House officials came to believe he was secretly lobbying for Turkey, one of the former officials said. Officials said they even checked lobbying records to see if Mr. Giuliani was registered on behalf of Turkey. He was not. |
| Mr. Giuliani’s push to have Mr. Gulen deported was first reported by The Washington Post. | |
| In a phone interview on Tuesday night, Mr. Giuliani denied ever trying to intervene in the Gulen case and accused people of intentionally making things up to damage his credibility. | |
| “That would be totally crazy. I couldn’t have gotten Gulen extradited. Why would I have gotten involved?” Mr. Giuliani said. “It’s definitely untrue. I had nothing to do with Gulen.” | |
| He said his only interest in sending someone to Turkey was a prisoner exchange involving his client at the time, Reza Zarrab, a Turkish-Iranian businessman who was accused in a more than $10 billion scheme to thwart sanctions on Iran. | |
| Mr. Gulen has denied accusations that he plotted to overthrow Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in 2016. | Mr. Gulen has denied accusations that he plotted to overthrow Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in 2016. |
| The idea that Mr. Trump should order Mr. Gulen deported was fiercely opposed inside the White House, where officials saw the issue as a matter to be handled by the Justice Department, not a political decision. Ultimately, that was what happened. The Justice Department, which was led at the time by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, did not see merit in deporting Mr. Gulen, said one former official familiar with the matter. | The idea that Mr. Trump should order Mr. Gulen deported was fiercely opposed inside the White House, where officials saw the issue as a matter to be handled by the Justice Department, not a political decision. Ultimately, that was what happened. The Justice Department, which was led at the time by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, did not see merit in deporting Mr. Gulen, said one former official familiar with the matter. |
| Throughout 2017, before Mr. Giuliani began representing Mr. Trump as his personal lawyer, he appeared at the White House to discuss a number of issues related to Turkey, according to two former administration officials. At one point, officials tried to divert Mr. Giuliani’s access to the president so that he was raising his issues with the president’s senior advisers instead of Mr. Trump directly. | Throughout 2017, before Mr. Giuliani began representing Mr. Trump as his personal lawyer, he appeared at the White House to discuss a number of issues related to Turkey, according to two former administration officials. At one point, officials tried to divert Mr. Giuliani’s access to the president so that he was raising his issues with the president’s senior advisers instead of Mr. Trump directly. |
| Also on Tuesday, Mr. Giuliani’s lawyer, Jon A. Sale, said in a letter to the House Intelligence Committee that he would not hand over documents to the Democrat-led impeachment inquiry because the information requested was “beyond the scope of legitimate inquiry” and a violation of attorney-client and executive privilege. | Also on Tuesday, Mr. Giuliani’s lawyer, Jon A. Sale, said in a letter to the House Intelligence Committee that he would not hand over documents to the Democrat-led impeachment inquiry because the information requested was “beyond the scope of legitimate inquiry” and a violation of attorney-client and executive privilege. |
| In a confrontational tweet that echoed the president’s condemnation of the investigations, Mr. Giuliani said he “will not participate in an illegitimate, unconstitutional, and baseless ‘impeachment inquiry.’” | In a confrontational tweet that echoed the president’s condemnation of the investigations, Mr. Giuliani said he “will not participate in an illegitimate, unconstitutional, and baseless ‘impeachment inquiry.’” |
| Mr. Giuliani appeared to reject the idea that his decision to defy the subpoena would place him in any legal jeopardy. He said in his tweet that Mr. Sale would no longer be representing him on impeachment matters. | Mr. Giuliani appeared to reject the idea that his decision to defy the subpoena would place him in any legal jeopardy. He said in his tweet that Mr. Sale would no longer be representing him on impeachment matters. |
| ”At this time, I do not need a lawyer,” Mr. Giuliani wrote. | ”At this time, I do not need a lawyer,” Mr. Giuliani wrote. |
| A spokeswoman for the committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Mr. Giuliani’s letter. | A spokeswoman for the committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Mr. Giuliani’s letter. |
| Mr. Giuliani has emerged as the central character in the monthslong effort by Mr. Trump and officials in his government to get Ukraine’s president to begin an investigation into former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., a leading Democratic candidate for president, and his son Hunter Biden. | Mr. Giuliani has emerged as the central character in the monthslong effort by Mr. Trump and officials in his government to get Ukraine’s president to begin an investigation into former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., a leading Democratic candidate for president, and his son Hunter Biden. |
| Mr. Giuliani is said to be under investigation by federal prosecutors in Manhattan who are trying to determine if he broke lobbying laws in his dealings in Ukraine. The investigators are examining his efforts to undermine the American ambassador to Ukraine then, Marie L. Yovanovitch, who was recalled in the spring as part of Mr. Trump’s broader campaign to pressure Ukraine. | Mr. Giuliani is said to be under investigation by federal prosecutors in Manhattan who are trying to determine if he broke lobbying laws in his dealings in Ukraine. The investigators are examining his efforts to undermine the American ambassador to Ukraine then, Marie L. Yovanovitch, who was recalled in the spring as part of Mr. Trump’s broader campaign to pressure Ukraine. |
| Questions about Mr. Giuliani’s role in orchestrating the pressure campaign have increased after the arrests last week of two of his close associates who aided him in the effort to pressure Ukraine. The men, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, are accused of a complex scheme to violate campaign finance laws. | Questions about Mr. Giuliani’s role in orchestrating the pressure campaign have increased after the arrests last week of two of his close associates who aided him in the effort to pressure Ukraine. The men, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, are accused of a complex scheme to violate campaign finance laws. |
| Mr. Giuliani’s refusal to cooperate with the Democratic impeachment inquiry stands in contrast to four current and former administration officials who have either complied with subpoenas or have voluntarily appeared to provide hours of testimony about the effort to pressure the Ukrainian government. | Mr. Giuliani’s refusal to cooperate with the Democratic impeachment inquiry stands in contrast to four current and former administration officials who have either complied with subpoenas or have voluntarily appeared to provide hours of testimony about the effort to pressure the Ukrainian government. |
| Ms. Yovanovitch, the former United States ambassador to Ukraine who is still an employee of the State Department, testified behind closed doors last week. Fiona Hill, Mr. Trump’s former senior adviser on Russia and Europe, appeared on Monday under subpoena. George P. Kent, a senior State Department official in charge of Ukraine policy, testified on Tuesday. | Ms. Yovanovitch, the former United States ambassador to Ukraine who is still an employee of the State Department, testified behind closed doors last week. Fiona Hill, Mr. Trump’s former senior adviser on Russia and Europe, appeared on Monday under subpoena. George P. Kent, a senior State Department official in charge of Ukraine policy, testified on Tuesday. |
| In the subpoena for Mr. Giuliani’s documents, which Democrats issued two weeks ago, lawmakers asked for texts, emails and other documents dating to January 2017, including any information related to his efforts to convince Ukraine to open investigations that could benefit Mr. Trump politically. | In the subpoena for Mr. Giuliani’s documents, which Democrats issued two weeks ago, lawmakers asked for texts, emails and other documents dating to January 2017, including any information related to his efforts to convince Ukraine to open investigations that could benefit Mr. Trump politically. |
| Lawmakers also requested documents from Mr. Giuliani that could reveal more about why $391 million in security aid for Ukraine was held up. Democrats have suggested that the president or his aides used the aid as leverage in the effort to get Ukraine to investigate Mr. Biden and open other inquiries. | Lawmakers also requested documents from Mr. Giuliani that could reveal more about why $391 million in security aid for Ukraine was held up. Democrats have suggested that the president or his aides used the aid as leverage in the effort to get Ukraine to investigate Mr. Biden and open other inquiries. |
| Mr. Giuliani’s decision not to produce the documents could leave him open to charges of contempt. Democrats could use it to further build an impeachment case against Mr. Trump, particularly on an obstruction charge. | Mr. Giuliani’s decision not to produce the documents could leave him open to charges of contempt. Democrats could use it to further build an impeachment case against Mr. Trump, particularly on an obstruction charge. |
| “Your failure or refusal to comply with the subpoena,” the Democratic lawmakers wrote in the Sept. 30 subpoena of Mr. Giuliani, “including at the direction or behest of the president or the White House, shall constitute evidence of obstruction of the House’s impeachment inquiry and may be used as an adverse inference against you and the president.” | “Your failure or refusal to comply with the subpoena,” the Democratic lawmakers wrote in the Sept. 30 subpoena of Mr. Giuliani, “including at the direction or behest of the president or the White House, shall constitute evidence of obstruction of the House’s impeachment inquiry and may be used as an adverse inference against you and the president.” |
| In Mr. Giuliani’s letter to the committee on Tuesday, Mr. Sale said lawmakers should consider it the “formal notice” that Mr. Giuliani will not cooperate. | In Mr. Giuliani’s letter to the committee on Tuesday, Mr. Sale said lawmakers should consider it the “formal notice” that Mr. Giuliani will not cooperate. |