A judge said Tuesday that if former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani can’t travel to Atlanta for court-ordered testimony before a grand jury investigating Donald Trump, he should find another means to get there.
Giuliani was scheduled to testify before Fulton County’s special grand jury investigating Trump’s attempts to reverse the election on Tuesday, but he submitted an emergency plea to postpone his appearance on Monday. His attorneys quoted a doctor as saying Giuliani is ineligible for flight travel after undergoing a cardiac stent procedure earlier this summer.
Fulton County Judge Robert McBurney, who oversees the special grand jury, heard the motion on Tuesday and ordered Giuliani to come before the grand jury on Aug. 17.
“Air travel is not suitable with Mr. Giuliani’s health right now, according to the very little information I have from a doctor at a very nice hospital. As a result, my advice is to avoid flying. That’s plenty of time to make the journey — a 13-hour drive, after all “During the hearing, McBurney said.
Giuliani was one of Trump’s closest aides as he battled his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. His work for Trump includes an appearance before the Georgia State Senate in December 2020, during which he made unsubstantiated charges of fraud and misbehavior among state officials.
Prior to Tuesday’s hearing, Giuliani’s lawyers and District Attorney Fani Willis sparred over assertions that he couldn’t go due to his health. McBurney, on the other hand, made it apparent from the outset of Tuesday’s session that he wanted to summon Giuliani to Atlanta.
“John Madden traveled all over the nation from stadium to stadium in his huge bus,” McBurney remarked, alluding to the football icon who notoriously shunned flying. “One thing we need to look at is if Mr. Giuliani might come here on a train, a bus, or Uber without endangering his recovery and health.”
Willis requested the appointment of the special grand jury in January. The probe originates from a phone discussion between Trump and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on January 2, 2021, during which Trump said, “This is all I want to accomplish. I simply need 11,780 votes, which is one more than we now have. Because we were victorious in the state.”
Raffensperger is one of dozens of state officials and Trump allies who have been called in for questioning since May.
Giuliani is designated as a crucial witness in the inquiry in court filings, but his attorney said Tuesday that the district attorney has yet to reply to queries about whether Giuliani is also a target.
“That query, to which I have yet to get an answer, will very probably determine how counsel handles this situation with my client. It will determine how things proceed here “added Giuliani’s lawyer, William Thomas.