Former President Donald Trump’s longtime adviser Rudy Giuliani can be heard pressuring the Ukrainian government to launch an investigation into conspiracy theories about President Joe Biden in newly surfaced audio obtained by CNN.
The July 2019 phone call between Giuliani, U.S. diplomat Kurt Volker, and Andriy Yermak, a senior adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, took place before Trump’s phone call with Zelensky later that month, as CNN reports.
Trump’s conversation with Zelensky would become the center of his first impeachment.
During the phone call, Giuliani can be heard saying, “All we need from the President [Zelensky] is to say, I’m gonna put an honest prosecutor in charge, he’s gonna investigate and dig up the evidence, that presently exists and is there any other evidence about involvement of the 2016 election, and then the Biden thing has to be run out.”
He added, “Somebody in Ukraine’s gotta take that seriously.”
Listen to the audio below:
Never-before-heard audio, obtained exclusively by CNN, shows how Rudy Giuliani relentlessly pressured and coaxed the Ukrainian government in 2019 to investigate baseless conspiracies about then-candidate Joe Biden.https://t.co/B2suJXfOvb pic.twitter.com/Kvte1emKfR
— CNN This Morning with Kasie Hunt (@CNNThisMorning) June 8, 2021
Later in the conversation, Giuliani seemingly suggested that the United States and Ukraine relationship could be improved if there was an investigation.
“That would clear the air really well and I think it would make it possible for me to come and make it possible, I think, for me to talk to the president to see what I can do about making sure that whatever misunderstandings are put aside … I kinda think that this could be a good thing for having a much better relationship,” Giuliani continued.
CNN noted during the call Yermak attempted to redirect the conversation to “official diplomatic matters.”
“I’m absolutely sure that as soon as the dates of the President Zelensky’s upcoming visit to United States will be confirmed, I am ready to be personally assume control of the preparation,” Yermak said.
He added, “And of course, I will be ready to come, and we can (be) personally sitting (down), and in detail discuss all the questions, all this investigation which you listed in our conversation.”
Yermak also said he is “sure” that Zelensky would mention the investigations during his call with Trump.
“Believe me, Andriy, that would be good for all of us,” Giuliani replied.
In 2019, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump, charging him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. He was later acquitted in the Senate.
Jim Himes (D-Conn.) weighed in on the recording during an appearance on CNN’s “New Day” on Tuesday.
“It’s quid pro quo,” Himes said.
Watch his comments below:
"It's quid pro quo," Democratic Rep. Jim Himes says about new audio of 2019 phone call that reveals how Giuliani pressured Ukraine to investigate baseless Biden conspiracies.https://t.co/Gc4WRICYSa pic.twitter.com/8KbGZQB7Or
— CNN This Morning with Kasie Hunt (@CNNThisMorning) June 8, 2021
He continued, “It was clear then and it’s clear now.”
Giuliani has denied all wrongdoing amid an ongoing investigation into him and his Ukraine dealings.