One would think with all the drama—and federal probes—surrounding whether Donald Trump and/or his cohorts colluded with Russia to interfere with the outcome of the 2016 presidential race, Team Trump would not want even the perception that it was seeking foreign political aid. But those who think that would be wrong.
On Friday, Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal attorney, went on Twitter in an exchange with Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut to explain his reasoning for not only seeking foreign assistance for his boss, but assistance from one of Russia’s old Soviet bloc comrades, Ukraine. Ukraine and Russia were both part of what was the Soviet Union.
At issue is Giuliani’s hopes, as reported by the New York Times, for what Ukraine can do for Trump:
One is the origin of the special counsel’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. The other is the involvement of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s son in a gas company owned by a Ukrainian oligarch.
Giuliani says he will be traveling to Ukraine’s capital, Kiev, to urge that government to pursue both investigations, which he says he hopes will help Trump win re-election.
“There’s nothing illegal about it,” Giuliani told the Times. “Somebody could say it’s improper. And this isn’t foreign policy—I’m asking them to do an investigation that they’re doing already and that other people are telling them to stop. And I’m going to give them reasons why they shouldn’t stop it because that information will be very, very helpful to my client, and may turn out to be helpful to my government.”