Sen. Kamala Harris demanded the State Department inspector general open an investigation into efforts by President Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani to urge Ukraine to investigate matters that could be politically beneficial to Trump.
The California Democrat made her stance known on Twitter following the release of an intelligence community whistleblower’s complaint that laid out the wide extent of Giuliani’s outreach to Ukrainian officials over the past few months and the State Department’s attempt to “contain the damage” he could inflict on national security.
“If any officials at the State Department worked with Rudy Giuliani to advance Trump’s political activities, then we need to know about it. Today, I’m demanding the State Department’s Inspector General open an investigation,” Harris said.
If any officials at the State Department worked with Rudy Giuliani to advance Trump’s political activities, then we need to know about it. Today, I’m demanding the State Department’s Inspector General open an investigation.
— Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) September 26, 2019
Notes on a July 25 phone call, released Wednesday morning, show Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to speak with Giuliani and Attorney General William Barr about investigating the matter related to Joe Biden, who is now the leading Democratic candidate for president.
Giuliani has defended himself by claiming he only spoke to Ukrainian officials at the behest of the State Department. He denies, however, that it had anything to do with digging up “political dirt” on Trump’s potential political rival.
A State Department spokesperson did not immediately return the Washington Examiner‘s request for comment.
Harris has also called for Barr to testify under oath after he was brought up in the Trump-Zelensky phone call, although the Justice Department denies Barr ever spoke to Trump about it.
