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The temporary license suspension took effect immediately – a day short of Guiliani’s 52nd anniversary of practicing law in New York State – pending the outcome of a full formal disciplinary hearing.
The former New York City mayor and federal prosecutor was a personal attorney to Trump when he lied about the legitimacy of President Biden’s victory, alleging widespread ballot fraud in key swing states, a New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division panel ruled.
“We conclude that there is uncontroverted evidence that respondent communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump and the Trump campaign in connection with Trump’s failed effort at reelection in 2020,” the 33-page order says.
Giuliani, 77, made the claims in testimony before lawmakers, during press conferences and at other appearances to “improperly bolster” his argument that “due to widespread voter fraud, victory in the 2020 United States presidential election was stolen from his client,” it adds.
These included that dead people voted in Philadelphia, the five-judge panel noted.
“As the anecdotal poster child to prove this point, he repeatedly stated that famous heavyweight boxer Joe Frazier continued to vote years after he was dead and stated on November 7, 2020 ‘he is still voting here,’ ” the order says.
“The public records submitted on this motion unequivocally show that respondent’s statement is false,” it adds. “Public records show that Pennsylvania formally cancelled Mr. Frazier’s eligibility to vote on February 8, 2012, three months after he died.“
“We conclude that respondent’s conduct immediately threatens the public interest and warrants interim suspension from the practice of law, pending further proceedings before the Attorney Grievance Committee.”
The suspension comes amid a federal investigation of the former U.S. attorney’s work in Ukraine while working as Trump’s lawyer.
SEE: Feds Raid Giuliani's Manhattan Apartment
Giuliani, who’s previously served as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, compared the suspension to Soviet Communism.
“It’s a complete invasion of my First Amendment rights and my rights as an attorney,” he told The New York Post. “I’m allowed to have a client,” Giuliani told The Post.
“I didn’t do anything wrong. There’s nothing I said that a witness didn’t tell me,” Giuliani added. “We’re getting to be like East Germany.”
His lawyers, John Leventhal and Barry Kamins, called the suspension “unprecedented.”
“We believe that once the issues are fully explored at a hearing Mr. Giuliani will be reinstated as a valued member of the legal profession that he has served so well in his many capacities for so many years,” they said in a statement.
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