GRIFTING TRUMP FREEZES PAYMENTS FOR GIULIANI’S LEGAL FEES

Defeated President Donald Trump is reluctant to pay his longtime friend and attorney Rudy Giuliani for his legal services in the election lawsuits — and has told staff not to approve the fees, Matthew Chapman wrote for Raw Story.

"Though Trump has been exceptionally furious with Vice President Pence, his relationship with lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani, one of his most steadfast defenders, is also fracturing, according to people with knowledge of the dynamics between the men," also reported Philip Rucker, Josh Dawsey, and Ashley Parker for the Washington Post.

"Trump has instructed aides not to pay Giuliani's legal fees, two officials said, and has demanded that he personally approve any reimbursements for the expenses Giuliani incurred while traveling on the president's behalf to challenge election results in key states.

They said Trump has privately expressed concern with some of Giuliani's moves and did not appreciate a demand from Giuliani for $20,000 a day in fees for his work attempting to overturn the election."

Giuliani played a key role in arguing an election fraud suit in Pennsylvania — the first time he has argued in federal court in almost 30 years. During that case, he showed a spectacular ignorance of the law, not even knowing basic legal terms like "strict scrutiny."

Ultimately, Trump's lawsuits were overwhelmingly rejected by state and federal judges, including judges he himself appointed — which prompted him to instead sign onto a fringe legal theory that Pence could throw out electoral votes during congressional certification, and urging his protesters to attend a rally that evolved into the violent invasion of the US Capitol last week.

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