Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump’s personal attorney who championed the former president’s false claims of voter fraud, said he will turn himself in to Georgia authorities Wednesday and face racketeering charges for interfering in the state’s 2020 presidential election.
“I’m going to Fulton County to obey the law, which I always do,” he told reporters before heading to Georgia. “I don’t know if I’m going to plead today, but if I do, I’m not pleading guilty.”
Giuliani and Trump both face 13 counts, more than the other 17 defendants in the case.
The former New York mayor has maintained his innocence, claiming he was only guilty because he worked hard on his client’s behalf.
“I never thought I would ever be charged as a lawyer,” Giuliani said on his radio show last week.
Trump has announced he will surrender Thursday at the Atlanta jail.
Giuliani is represented by New York attorney John Esposito, a former Manhattan assistant district attorney.
Upon arrival, they were to go to his local attorney’s office, where Giuliani would remain, while the attorneys went to District Attorney Fani Willis’ office to negotiate bail and sign documents.
Once a judge approves those documents, Giuliani will go to the Fulton County Jail, where he will be fingerprinted and photographed. His indictment is expected in the next week or two and could take place virtually.
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“I’m being photographed, isn’t that nice? A mugshot for the mayor who probably jailed the worst criminal of the 20th century,” Giuliani complained to reporters as he left his apartment.
The Fulton County indictment alleges Giuliani was instrumental in a criminal conspiracy and pressured election officials in Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania to respond to allegations of voter fraud he was repeatedly told were false. Giuliani was also accused of making false claims that voting machines were tampered with and making false claims in affidavits.
The indictment also highlights false claims Giuliani made about Georgia campaign worker Ruby Freeman, who received death threats and harassment over the false allegations.
The main charge against Giuliani – racketeering – resembles a federal law that he used with great success as US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Giuliani predicted on Wednesday that he would be rehabilitated. “It will turn out that like everything else, this is a complete hoax and a lie,” he said.
Giuliani appears to be one of six co-conspirators in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s federal criminal case against Trump. In his arraignment in this case, Trump pleaded not guilty. Giuliani, who has not been charged, has denied any wrongdoing.
Brittany Kubicko, Rebecca Shabad, Adam Reiss, Tom Winter, Jonathan Dienst and Vaughn Hillyard contributed.
