Rudy Giuliani faces a special grand jury Wednesday. The former New York City mayor and lawyer for former president Donald Trump is under a judge’s order to appear. He is asked to testify before the panel investigating attempts by Mr. Trump and others to overturn 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.
News cameras swarmed Giuliani as he stepped out of a limousine in Atlanta Wednesday morning with his attorney, Robert Costello. Giuliani told reporters he wouldn’t talk about his testimony.
“Grand juries, as I recall, are secret,” he told members of the press. “They ask the questions, and we’ll see.”
Grand jury questioning began behind closed doors because the proceedings are secret. The secrecy rules prevent those present during grand jury testimony from discussing details. However, those rules don’t apply to witnesses.
More importantly, politicians, lawyers, reporters—and every human—should remember: “Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.” (Luke 12:2-3) Christians can take comfort in that, knowing that even when much of current controversies and events is shrouded in confusion, deceit, and conflicting testimonies, God sees and knows the truth always. And no acts of humankind will thwart His ultimate goals for His world.
It’s unclear how much Giuliani, a former federal prosecutor, will be willing to say—now that he is one of the targets of the investigation.
Giuliani’s appearance is another step in an investigation that has already ensnared several Trump allies and brought heightened scrutiny to failed efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis opened her investigation after the disclosure of a January 2, 2021, phone call between then-President Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. On the call, the President suggested that Raffensperger could “find” the exact number of votes that would flip the election results in Georgia.
Mr. Trump denies any wrongdoing. He has allegedly described the call as “perfect.”
Last month, Willis filed petitions to force testimony from seven Trump associates and advisors. She may also call upon the former president himself to testify.
In seeking Giuliani’s testimony, Willis noted that he was both a personal attorney for Mr. Trump and a lead attorney for his 2020 campaign. She recalled how Giuliani and others appeared at a Georgia Senate committee meeting in late 2020 and presented a video that Giuliani said showed election workers producing “suitcases” of unlawful ballots outside the view of election poll watchers.
Two election workers seen in the video, Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, say they faced harassment because of the video. Giuliani claimed the footage showed the women “[secretly] passing around USB ports.” According to the women, they were actually passing pieces of candy.
Georgia election officials debunked the fraud claims. Yet Willis says that Giuliani continued to make statements claiming widespread election fraud using the discredited video.
Giuliani’s attorneys tried to delay his appearance before the special grand jury, saying he was unable to fly due to heart stent surgery in early July.
But Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney said last week that Giuliani needed to be in Atlanta on Wednesday and could travel by bus, car, or train if necessary.
Other Trump allies have also been swept up in the probe. Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, received a subpoena ordering him to appear for testimony on August 23. Graham has challenged that subpoena, citing his protections as a member of Congress. On Monday, a judge rejected that argument and said he must testify. Graham plans to appeal that ruling.
(Rudy Giuliani arrives at the Fulton County Courthouse on Wednesday, August 17, 2022, in Atlanta. AP/John Bazemore)
