A national group of lawyers filed an ethics complaint against Rudy Giuliani on Thursday, calling on the state of New York to suspend his law license following the efforts to undermine the 2020 election and spread lies from Donald Trump about widespread voter fraud causing his presidential reelection loss.<\/p>\n
Lawyers Defending American Democracy, a nonpartisan group that includes former judges, attorneys general and federal prosecutors, filed a formal complaint alleging Giuliani, Trump\u2019s personal lawyer, knowingly lied about the results of the election that was won by Democrat Joe Biden by more than 7 million votes. Trump and his allies have been sharply criticized for spreading the voter fraud lies, which fanned the flames of the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month.<\/p>\n
\u201cLawyers have a legal responsibility to enforce the rule of law,\u201d Scott Harshbarger, the chairman of the LDAD and a former Massachusetts attorney general, said in a statement. \u201cThere must be accountability for misconduct which is so obvious and consequential. He claimed Mr. Trump was a victim when he was the one trying to disenfranchise tens of millions of American voters.\u201d<\/p>\n
This morning, we filed a comprehensive and detailed disciplinary complaint against @RudyGiuliani<\/p>\n
Lawyers and non-lawyers may sign. Please do so and ensure Mr. Giuliani is held accountable for his attacks on #democracy and #RuleOfLawhttps:\/\/t.co\/rfMVMUHNCk<\/p>\n
\u2014 Lawyers Defending American Democracy (@LDADemocracy) January 21, 2021<\/p>\n
The New York Times added that more than a thousand people had signed the complaint, one of the most serious efforts to censure Giuliani so far. The group has called for an investigation into the attorney\u2019s conduct but said he should have his license suspended while it goes forward, warning of further division if he\u2019s allowed to hold his stature.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven as this complaint is being submitted, violence fed by Mr. Giuliani\u2019s attack on democracy is eroding the rule of law,\u201d the letter reads. \u201cThe Committee should not permit Mr. Giuliani to continue to use his professional stature and his bar license to tear apart the social fabric of this country, and threaten public safety, while it investigates. The violations are too clear, and there is too much [at] stake.\u201d<\/p>\n
Giuliani, a former mayor of New York City, said Thursday on his radio show that the efforts were an attempt to deny his right to free speech, calling his critics \u201cidiots\u201d and \u201cpolitical hacks,\u201d the Times added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole purpose of this is to disbar me from my exercising my right of free speech and defending my client, because they can\u2019t fathom the fact that maybe, just maybe, they may be wrong,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The letter comes about a week after the chairman of the New York State Senate judiciary committee, Brad Hoylman (D), called for Giuliani to be stripped of his license. Hoylman said the attack on the U.S. Capitol was \u201cthe foreseeable culmination of increasingly outrageous lies and disinformation being peddled\u201d by the attorney.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe codes of ethics we as attorneys swear to uphold are intended to safeguard both the public and the reputation of the profession itself,\u201d Hoylman wrote in a formal request earlier this month. \u201cA failure to hold a member of our ranks accountable for seditious acts and exhortations of violence is a failure to provide that safeguard.\u201d<\/p>\n
The New York Bar Association has also launched an inquiry into Giuliani\u2019s membership in the body after receiving hundreds of complaints about his work. The step would be highly unusual, and the Times reports the group has not removed someone who hasn\u2019t yet been disbarred in more than a century.<\/p>\n
Giuliani was one of Trump\u2019s most vocal surrogates and defenders during the failed effort to overturn the election. His legal team lost dozens of court cases in an attempt to throw out ballots \u2014 and disenfranchise voters of color \u2014 but Giuliani spent weeks spreading lies about rampant election fraud. He drew fierce criticism after a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, vandalizing the halls of Congress and leaving five people dead, including a Capitol Police officer.<\/p>\n
In a speech before the insurrection, Giuliani told Trump supporters to consider \u201ctrial by combat.\u201d (He later said he was just making a reference to a \u201cvery famous documentary\u201d called \u201cGame of Thrones.\u201d)<\/p>\n
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