US: Lawyers call for suspension of Rudy Giuliani's law licence, demand investigation

A group of prominent lawyers asked New York’s judiciary to suspend Rudy Giuliani’s law license for making false claims in post-election lawsuits and urging Donald Trump’s supporters to engage in “trial by combat” shortly before they stormed the US Capitol. Giuliani, a close ally of the former President had drawn backlash for leading Trump’s legal team to claim “voter fraud” in November elections without evidence. He also sparked a slew of negative comments after his tweet asked Trump supporters to “fight light hell” just before the mob attempted to take down the US Capitol complex. 

'It is about law, not politics' 

Now, in a letter addressed to the attorney grievance committee for the New York supreme court, the Lawyers Defending American Democracy (LDAD) had asked the suspension of Giuliani’s license. Stating that the complaint was "about law, not politics", they also demanded a formal investigation into the 76-year-old. The letter, if taken action upon, could turn lethal for Trump’s closest aid, The Guardian reported citing other attorneys.

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“Today, LDAD filed an 18-page ethics complaint with the Grievance Committee of the New York State Bar in Manhattan calling for an investigation of Rudolph W. Giuliani and requesting that his New York license be suspended pending completion of the Committee’s investigation,” a statement on LDAD website read.

The letter which demands that “ Giuliani should be held accountable for his attacks on democracy and the rule of law", has been signed by over 4,000 people till now. Giuliani has served as federal prosecutor in New York City and also served as its mayor before joining Trump as his personal attorney. In the latest development regarding Rudy Giuliani, it has been reported that he won’t be a part of the Republican leader’s defence team for the upcoming impeachment trial in the Senate. While speaking to The Hill, Giuliani said that as he could be called as a witness, the rules of legal ethics would prohibit him from representing the President as trial counsel in the impeachment trial. The outgoing President is charged with “incitement of insurrection” over the mob siege of the Capitol on January 6 and Giuliani would not be a part of Trump’s defence due to his involvement in the rally that preceded the riots. 

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