Rudy Giuliani has backed out of his scheduled transcribed interview earlier than the Home choose committee investigating the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, a spokesperson for the committee mentioned Thursday night time.
"Mr. Giuliani had agreed to take part in a transcribed interview with the Choose Committee," mentioned Tim Mulvey. "Immediately, he knowledgeable committee investigators that he would not present up except he was permitted to document the interview, which was by no means an agreed-upon situation."
Mulvey continued that Giuliani is an "vital witness to overthrow the federal government and he stays underneath subpoena." Mulvey mentioned that if Giuliani refuses to conform, "the committee will take into account all enforcement choices."
Giuliani was subpoenaed by the committee in January 2022, together with Jenna Ellis and Sidney Powell, two legal professionals who labored to advertise former President Trump's false claims in regards to the election, and Boris Epshteyn, a former Trump White Home aide.
The 4 figures participated in a November 19, 2020, press convention that featured baseless claims the election had been stolen and that Trump had gained in a "landslide."
The committee chair, Rep. Bennie Thompson, mentioned on the time of the subpoena that each one 4 "superior unsupported theories about election fraud, pushed efforts to overturn the election outcomes, or had been in direct contact with the previous President about makes an attempt to cease the counting of electoral votes."
The January 6 committee despatched a letter to Giuliani in January 2022 that indicated the committee believes from witness testimony that the previous New York Metropolis mayor urged Trump in December 2020 to direct the seizure of voting machines throughout the nation, even after being advised the Division of Homeland Safety lacked that authority.
Since then, Giuliani's regulation license has been suspended in New York and Washington, D.C.
Giuliani's refusal to look comes the identical week that the previous president's son, Donald Trump Jr., met with the committee. A supply advised CBS Information the interview lasted about three hours, Trump Jr. didn't plead the Fifth and described the interview as "very cordial."
The Home January 6 committee, which was created final yr by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is winding down its investigative part. Hearings are set to start June 9, with Thompson saying final week there can be eight hearings.
Up to now, the committee has issued dozens of subpoenas, together with to Trump's allies, former White Home officers, marketing campaign aides and people concerned within the planning of the rally outdoors the White Home earlier than the Capitol constructing got here underneath siege. 4 prime Trump allies — Steve Bannon, former White Home chief of employees Mark Meadows, commerce adviser Peter Navarro and former communications official Dan Scavino — have been held in contempt of Congress for refusing to adjust to subpoenas, and the Justice Division has charged Bannon. All have mentioned they're following directions from Trump, who has claimed govt privilege.
The committee, comprised of seven Democrats and two Republicans, is tasked with investigating the January 6 assault, when 1000's of Trump supporters descended on the Capitol as Congress counted the electoral votes, a largely ceremonial closing step affirming President Biden's victory. Lawmakers had been despatched fleeing amid the riot, which led to the deaths of 5 folks and the arrests of tons of extra. Trump, who inspired his supporters to "stroll down" to the Capitol through the rally on the Ellipse earlier than the electoral vote depend, was impeached by the Home one week later for inciting the riot however was later acquitted by the Senate.
Rebecca Kaplan and Ellis Kim contributed to this report.