Rudy Giuliani seems to have put his foot in his mouth again. As CNN reports, “Rudy Giuliani just contradicted the White House and the Justice Department on a very sensitive subject: The AT&T-Time Warner deal.”
In an interview with Huffington Post Giuliani was talking about whether Michael Cohen was able to influence the President on behalf of clients from whom he was receiving “consulting fees.” That’s when he stepped in it:
Giuliani said Cohen’s business relationships did not contradict Trump’s campaign promises to end “pay-to-play” schemes and to “drain the swamp” because Cohen did not get for his newfound clients what they wanted.
“Whatever lobbying was done didn’t reach the president,” Giuliani said, offering as proof the fact that AT&T’s proposed merger with Time-Warner has not gone through. “He did drain the swamp … The president denied the merger. They didn’t get the result they wanted.”
The problem is this is different than what the White House has said in the past. They have always said Trump wasn’t involved in this case at all.
Report: Rudy Giuliani, a new member of President Trump's legal team, says 'the President denied' AT&T-Time Warner deal approval — contradicting the White House and the Justice Department https://t.co/cmGO2FktcG pic.twitter.com/ovPhPg80Am
— CNN (@CNN) May 12, 2018
The White House was quick to chime in shortly after Giuliani’s comments. It looks like they are still saying Giuliani doesn’t exactly have his facts straight.
WH Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders contradict’s Giuliani’s claim that the president “denied the deal” between ATT & Time Warner saying that the WH’s initial denial of POTUS’ involvement still stands. “The Department of Justice denied the deal,” Sanders tells me.
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) May 12, 2018
Despite a denial from the White House, some say Giuliani’s comment may need to be investigated further.
If Giuliani didn’t misspeak, this is major news—it is highly unusual for the president to be involved in DOJ merger decisions. AT&T is fighting DOJ’s challenge to the merger, alleging that Trump denied it for political reasons. https://t.co/e0UNf9J3UY
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) May 12, 2018