FILE PHOTO: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani speaks alongside U.S. President Donald Trump during remarks to the City of New York Police Benevolent Association at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, U.S., August 14, 2020. REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger
Donald Trump鈥檚 former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani denied on Thursday he had ever represented a Ukrainian national, a day after federal agents searched his Manhattan apartment and office as part of a probe into his business dealings in Ukraine.
Giuliani said the agents seized seven or eight electronic devices and the search warrant included an allegation that he had failed to register as a foreign agent, a violation of lobbying laws.
鈥淚鈥檝e never represented a Ukrainian national or official before the United States government,鈥� Giuliani said in an interview on Fox 黑料社.
Federal prosecutors have been investigating Giuliani for nearly 1-1/2 years over his Ukrainian business dealings while serving as Trump鈥檚 attorney. He has not formally been accused of any wrongdoing.
Trump criticized the federal investigation into Giuliani on Thursday.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very, very unfair,鈥� Trump told Fox Business Network in a telephone interview. 鈥淩udy is a patriot who loves this country and I don鈥檛 know what they鈥檙e looking for, what they鈥檙e doing. They said it had to do with filing of various papers.鈥�
A spokesman for the Republican former president said in February that Giuliani was not representing Trump in any current legal matters.
Giuliani played a central role in Trump鈥檚 failed effort to overturn his 2020 election defeat based on false claims of massive voter fraud.
Wednesday鈥檚 search marked a significant step in the investigators鈥� probe. A 2019 grand jury subpoena for Giuliani鈥檚 financial records seen by Reuters showed that agents were examining possible money laundering, wire fraud, campaign finance violations, making false statements, obstruction of justice, and violations of the federal Foreign Agents Registration Act.
It marks the latest turn for Giuliani, the former mayor of New York who rose to national prominence following September 11, 2001, attacks and who once led the U.S. Attorney鈥檚 Office in Manhattan that is now probing him.
Giuliani began representing Trump in 2018 amid a federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, which Trump won.
Ahead of the 2020 election, Giuliani led an effort to dig up dirt on Democratic contender Joe Biden and his son Hunter in Ukraine. Biden defeated Trump and took office earlier this year. Both Biden and his son have denied wrongdoing.
The FBI warned Giuliani in late 2019 that he was the target of a Russian influence operation aimed at circulating falsehoods intended to damage Biden politically, the Washington Post reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
Giuliani lawyer Robert Costello did not immediately return a request for comment on the Post story.
Costello said on Wednesday that authorities had seized cellphones and computers and, along with Giuliani鈥檚 son, Andrew, suggested that the investigation of his client was politically motivated 鈥� a charge the White House denied.
Biden said on Thursday he had no notice of the Department of Justice鈥檚 actions and was making good on his campaign pledge to maintain its independence.
鈥淚 made a pledge,鈥� he told NBC 黑料社 in an interview. 鈥淚 would not interfere in any way. 鈥� I learned about that last night when the rest of the world learned about it.鈥�
Giuliani faces separate legal actions regarding his actions surrounding the November election and the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters 鈥� one from a Democratic congressman and another from voting machine company Dominion Voting Systems.