NY State Bar wants to kick out Giuliani for stoking ‘attempted coup’

Rudy Giuliani. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File

By David Brand

The New York State Bar Association is looking to remove Rudy Giuliani from its ranks after the former New York City mayor used his platform to spread election lies and stoke an armed attack on the U.S. Capitol Building Jan. 6.

Guiliani, a former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and a partner at various white shoe law firms, has served as President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer throughout his time in office. In a speech at the White House last week, Giuliani called for a “trial by combat” ahead of the Capitol invasion.

NYSBA President Scott Karston on Monday condemned Giuliani for encouraging the violent insurrection and said the organization is investigating whether it can remove the ex-mayor based on its bylaws, which forbid members from advocating for “the overthrow of the government of the United States.” 

“Mr. Giuliani’s words quite clearly were intended to encourage Trump supporters unhappy with the election’s outcome to take matters into their own hands,” the NYSBA said in a statement. “Their subsequent attack on the Capitol was nothing short of an attempted coup, intended to prevent the peaceful transition of power.” 

The organization said it has received hundreds of complaints about Giuliani and will allow him to defend himself against removal.

In recent months, many attorneys and legal groups have called on New York to disbar Giuliani for consistently lying about fraud to discredit the result of the November 2020 presidential election.

During an appearance on 60 Minutes Sunday, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger said Giuliani even presented Georgia lawmakers with a doctored video that appeared to show poll workers hiding ballots.

“He has some ethical standards as a member of the bar,” said Raffensberger, a Republican. “He knows that what he said was not true.”

Giuliani did not immediately respond to a request for comment.