An Arizona judge recently criticized Rudy Giuliani’s lawyer for drawing a comparison between Giuliani and George Washington, the first president of the United States.
In April, a grand jury indicted 18 individuals, including Giuliani, who was formerly President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, for allegedly conspiring to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election win in Arizona under the direction of Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes. Giuliani has pleaded not guilty to all charges, expressing his disdain for the indictment in court in May, calling it an embarrassment to the American legal system.
One of the conditions of Giuliani’s release was to remain in Arizona and seek court permission before leaving. However, since Giuliani is from the East Coast, his lawyer, Mark Williams, requested on July 12 in a legal brief that these restrictions be lifted.
Williams argued in the filing that Giuliani is a heroic figure and patriot whose actions during the 9/11 attacks inspired the nation. Williams questioned whether George Washington, if faced with similar circumstances during his lifetime, would have been confined to a specific state, like Giuliani is. The court eventually allowed Giuliani to reside in Florida or New York but made it clear that this decision was not influenced by the comparison made by Williams.
In a brief filed on July 18, the judge, Cohen, clarified that the ruling was based on valid reasons and not on the irrelevant comparisons made by Giuliani’s counsel. Cohen emphasized that Giuliani should not receive preferential treatment due to his perceived status, and all legal arguments should be based on factual evidence in the future.
Williams also successfully petitioned for Giuliani to be allowed to communicate with his co-defendants, citing Giuliani’s active involvement in American politics and the upcoming elections.
Assistant Attorney General Nicholas Klingerman did not oppose Williams’ requests, according to the filings.