lawyers.
“I give you my word, I was not” briefed beforehand, Biden told MSNBC’s Craig Melvin in an interview that aired Thursday.
“I learned about that last night when the rest of the world learned about it, my word,” Biden said of early Wednesday’s raids, in which FBI agents seized electronic devices from the former New York mayor and ex-federal prosecutor.
FBI executes search warrants at Rudy Giuliani’s home and law office
“I had no idea this was underway.”
Biden also underscored that he has not been briefed on the Giuliani probe — which is focused on the latter’s dealings in Ukraine — or any other criminal investigation by the Justice Department. The department is known to be probing the tax affairs of Biden’s son Hunter.
“I made a pledge I would not interfere in any way, order or try to stop any investigation the Justice Department had,” Biden said
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, personal attorney to U.S. President Donald Trump, wipes sweat from his face during a news conference about the 2020 U.S. presidential election results at Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, U
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, personal attorney to U.S. President Donald Trump, wipes sweat from his face during a news conference about the 2020 U.S. presidential election results at Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, U.S., November 19, 2020.
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters
“I’m not asking to be briefed. That’s the Justice Department’s independent judgment,” the president said.
Biden blasted Trump for his efforts to get the Justice Department to investigate certain people and certain issues, and his repeated criticisms of the department’s investigations of people linked to Trump, including Giuliani, his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and GOP operative Roger Stone.
