Federal prosecutors are in talks to obtain electronic communication of Rudy Giuliani, the architect of President Trump’s legal attacks against the election outcome, and an investigation may soon follow, according to a US media report.
The demand for gaining access to Mr Giuliani's emails has come from prosecutors for the Southern District of New York and lies with Justice Department officials in Washington, NBC News reported quoting two sources reportedly familiar with the probe.
According to the department’s policy, the prosecutors will need a search warrant in order to access private conversations of Mr Giuliani that may be protected by attorney-client confidentiality. However, the report also states that it is not yet known if Washington has granted permission for the search warrant.
The communication, however, indicates Mr Giuliani is under the lens of the authorities and the investigation may soon be scaled up. The two sources NBC News quoted, believe the investigation is ongoing and is “very active”, however, the scope of the investigation is not yet clear.
This is not the first time Mr Giuliani will be investigated. In 2019, the Wall Street Journal reported that Manhattan prosecutors were investigating whether Mr Giuliani broke lobbying laws in his dealings in Ukraine. His bank records were investigated in the case.
Another investigation against the president’s personal lawyer was reported in the same year related to alleged campaign finance violations. However, none of these investigations resulted in any concrete proof.
The New York Times reported earlier this month that Mr Giuliani had requested a possible preemptive pardon from the president, that would protect him from any federal charges but he denied the reports.
Mr Giuliani served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 1983 to 1989.
