Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal attorney, spoke on Foxs News’ Ingraham Angle show on Monday, claiming he had a big say in ousting U.S. ambassador to the Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.
Earlier that day, the New Yorker published an interview with Giulini wherein he candidly admitted that he wanted Yovanovitch removed from office, as did his Ukrainian counterpart Yuriy Lutsenko, because she was an obstacle and made the investigation into the Ukraine allegations “difficult for everybody.”
The next day, Giuliani continued his diatribes on Twitter, stating:
“Yovanovitch needed to be removed for many reasons most critical she was denying visas to Ukrainians who wanted to come to US and explain Dem corruption in Ukraine. She was OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE and that’s not the only thing she was doing. She at minimum enabled Ukrainian collusion.”
Yovanovitch needed to be removed for many reasons most critical she was denying visas to Ukrainians who wanted to come to US and explain Dem corruption in Ukraine. She was OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE and that’s not the only thing she was doing. She at minimum enabled Ukrainian collusion.
— Rudy Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) December 17, 2019
Giuliani told Ingraham that he knew of several lawmakers, including former Texas Congressman Pete Sessions (R), that wanted her out.
He also claimed Yovanovitch withheld visas for Ukrainian key witnesses that could testify in favor of Trump during the impeachment inquiries, “in order to obstruct the investigation of collusion in the Ukraine and specifically to obstruct the Biden investigation.”
In another Twitter post, Giuliani called the impeachment scam a smokescreen for the Obama-Biden administration’s corruption.
The American people have already made up their mind on this #ImpeachmentScam
This is a SMOKESCREEN for the Obama-Biden administration’s corruption. It will soon be proven.
— Rudy Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) December 13, 2019
In a Fox News interview on Nov. 22, President Trump said Yonanovitch said “bad things” about him and failed to hang up his picture in the embassy.
“I have the right to change an ambassador. Rudy didn’t say good things, but he wasn’t crazy about it. It wasn’t like a major topic. But I have the right to change,” Trump said.
“This was an Obama person, didn’t want to hang my picture in the embassy. Standard is you put the president of the United States’ picture in an embassy. This was not an angel, this woman, OK?” Trump said. “There are a lot of things that she did that I didn’t like, and we will talk about that at some time. But I just want to let you know. This was not a baby we’re dealing with.”
Yovanovitch permanently departed Ukraine on May 20, the day of Zelensky’s inauguration. Ambassador William Taylor eventually replaced her as the head of the embassy in Kyiv. Trump has yet to nominate a permanent replacement.
Epoch Times reporter Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this article.
