WASHINGTON — Rudolph W. Giuliani, President Trump’s personal lawyer, represented a wealthy Venezuelan businessman in a discussion with the Justice Department about heading off charges against the businessman in a money laundering and bribery case. Mr. Giuliani was part of a team of lawyers brought in to represent the Venezuelan, Alejandro Betancourt López, in discussions with Justice Department officials, according to people familiar with the representation. They said Mr. Giuliani and at least one other lawyer traveled to Spain to meet with Mr. Betancourt in August, prepared a presentation making the case for why Mr. Betancourt should not be charged, then delivered it to top lawyers in the Justice Department’s criminal division during a meeting in Washington on Sept. 3. The representation, which was first reported by The Washington Post on Tuesday, is another example of Mr. Giuliani pursuing business around the world with clients who have interests before the United States government, even as he continues to represent Mr. Trump. It also highlights the ways in which Mr. Giuliani mixed his private business with the Ukrainian pressure campaign that is at the heart of the congressional impeachment inquiry into Mr. Trump, and a separate investigation by prosecutors in Manhattan into whether Mr. Giuliani violated lobbying laws.

Source: New York Times November 27, 2019 01:07 UTC