By Karen Freifeld and Steve Holland
Jan 10 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump may turn to Rudy Giuliani to defend him against possible impeachment for his role in the violent siege of the U.S. Capitol last week, according to two people familiar with the matter.
One of the sources, an outside adviser to the White House, said Giuliani was expected to play a key role in any impeachment attempt. The second source said Giuliani, the president’s personal attorney, would likely provide the kind of representation Trump seeks.
Giuliani, 76, led the legal team that tried unsuccessfully to reverse Trump’s electoral defeat. He was unable to present any evidence of significant fraud and lost dozens of court cases in key states and the Supreme Court before President-elect Joe Biden’s victory was confirmed.
Giuliani’s own reputation took a hit during the often chaotic legal campaign. At a press conference, brown dye dripped down his face as he made false claims of voter fraud, and he was ridiculed for another event held in the parking lot of a Pennsylvania landscaping company next to a sex shop.
The former New York mayor did not respond to requests for comment about his role in a possible impeachment trial, and the White House declined to comment.
Democratic members of the House of Representatives are expected to launch impeachment proceedings this week, accusing Trump of inciting a horde of supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.
If the House votes to remove Trump, the impeachment process will go to the Senate.
While the House of Representatives could quickly vote, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has suggested there will be no impeachment in the upper house until Trump leaves office on January 20.
(Reporting by Karen Freifeld; additional reporting by Jeff Mason. Edited in Spanish by Marion Giraldo)
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