After President Trump told reporters that his new legal advisor will “get his facts straight,” Rudy Giuliani has just issued a statement “intended to clarify” his remarks over the past few days.
Trump contradicted Giuliani Friday morning leading many to say he threw his new attorney “under the bus.”
Giuliani had admitted that Trump reimbursed his attorney Michael Cohen the $130,000 paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, that has been characterized as “hush money.”
The former New York City mayor also had admitted that the payment was made to Daniels to keep her quiet so she wouldn’t cause problems during the campaign, and that Trump knew about the payment.
Here’s Giuliani’s just-released statement:
This is intended to clarify the views I expressed over the past few days.
These are my views:
First:
There is no campaign violation. The payment was made to resolve a personal and false allegation in order to protect the President’s family. It would have been done in any event, whether he was a candidate or not.
Second:
My references to timing were not describing my understanding of the President’s knowledge, but instead, my understanding of these matters.
Third:
It is undisputed that the President’s dismissal of former Director Comey – an inferior executive officer – was clearly within his Article II power. Recent revelations about former Director Comey further confirm the wisdom of the President’s decision, which was plainly in the best interests of our nation.
The Washington Post’s Aaron Blake summed up his thoughts of the statement:
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