Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City and personal attorney to former President Donald Trump, was disbarred from practicing law in New York. This decision came after a court found that he had made numerous false and misleading statements about the 2020 presidential election. The court’s ruling emphasized the importance of honesty and integrity in the legal profession, stating that Giuliani’s actions had undermined public trust in the electoral process and the legal system. Disbarment is a severe disciplinary action that revokes an attorney’s license to practice law, reflecting the gravity of the misconduct. Giuliani’s disbarment serves as a reminder of the legal and ethical obligations that all attorneys must adhere to, and the potential consequences of violating those standards.
The court’s decision highlighted the seriousness of Giuliani’s misconduct, emphasizing that he had misused his position and made perjurious statements to courts, lawmakers, and the public.
Giuliani’s attorney, Arthur Aidala, was disappointed and stated that, “We put up a valiant effort to prevent the disbarment but saw the writing on the wall.” Barry Kamins, another representative for Giuliani, mentioned they were considering filing an appeal.
A CNN commentator noted that Giuliani, whose popularity reached its zenith in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Towers when he became the beloved “America’s Mayor,” is now bankrupt, under indictment in multiple states and disgraced. Giuliani is in bankruptcy after landing $150 million in debt for defaming two election workers, and faces several other lawsuits against him as well as criminal charges.
But despite all the serious consequences that have ensued from his involvement in the January 6 insurrection, disbarment must be the most painful for Giuliani because as he has stated on various occasions, “the Law is the love of my life.” Indeed, having first planned to become a priest, Giuliani switched to a career in law and for him that became a similarly sacred “vocation.”
Rudy Giuliani has already been indicted in Georgia and Arizona for his alleged involvement in activities surrounding the 2020 election. In Georgia, Giuliani faces charges including violation of the Georgia RICO act, solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer, and conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer among others. Arizona’s indictment includes Giuliani as part of a group accused of conspiracy, fraud, and forgery related to the state’s 2020 election results. According to law experts, the New York disbarment will almost certainly lead to a similar consequence in other states.
