Giuliani spars with Stephanopoulos over whistleblower report: ‘Donald Trump was framed by the Democrats’ | TheHill

President TrumpDonald John TrumpPelosi: Impeachment worth losing House in 2020 Pelosi: Turning Texas blue is ‘our hope for the future’ State Dept. ramps up probe into Clinton email server: report MORE‘s personal lawyer Rudy GiulianiRudy GiulianiSunday shows lineup: Trump impeachment dominates the talk circuit The five Trump officials Democrats want to depose O’Rourke: Trump should resign MORE sparred with George StephanopoulosGeorge Robert StephanopoulosWill Congress find the courage to hold Donald Trump accountable? Egos! Ratings! Marketing! Oh my — the real clash in every debate Election meddling has become the new normal of US diplomacy MORE on ABC’s “This Week” over the whistleblower report of Trump’s interactions with Ukraine’s leader, calling it “hearsay” and “unreliable,” and saying the president “was framed by the Democrats.”

He also repeatedly insisted Congress and the press would have reacted differently if the allegations against former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenTrump rips impeachment as ‘single greatest scam’ Liberals keep foot on the gas on impeachment Sunday shows lineup: Trump impeachment dominates the talk circuit MORE and his son, Hunter, had been made about Trump and Donald Trump Jr.Donald (Don) John TrumpTrump has done 38 retweets and counting ahead of intelligence official’s testimony Schiff introduces bill to require agencies report spending at Trump properties Democrats introduce bill to block taxpayer-funded spending at Trump properties MORE 

“I am defending my client the best way I know how,” Giuliani said. “This is not about getting Joe Biden in trouble, this is about proving if these charges that Donald Trump was framed by the Democrats.” 

The president’s lawyer said his own meeting with Andrey Yermak, a Ukrainian official, was set up prior to the president’s phone call with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which became the focus of the whisteblower report. Reports circulated this weekend alleging Giuliani had conversations with Ukrainian officials about getting information on the Bidens.

The president and his lawyer have alleged that Joe Biden, a potential opponent for the president in the 2020 election, and his son were involved in corruption in the Ukraine.

Giuliani circled the conversation back to the allegations against the Bidens, saying if the case involved Trump and his son Donald Trump Jr. he wouldn’t be here right now. He held up two affidavits from Ukraine he said proved his point and several times pointed asked why the information in them wasn’t being investigated.

“Why is this less credible than the whistleblower when this is — this is direct knowledge and the whistleblower is hearsay?” he said.

There is no evidence as of yet to back up Giuliani’s claims that Biden or his son violated Ukrainian laws.  

Appearing later on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Giuliani said that Secretary of State Mike PompeoMichael (Mike) Richard PompeoLiberals keep foot on the gas on impeachment The five Trump officials Democrats want to depose Giuliani calls House Democrats ‘a joke,’ says he’ll consult Trump about testifying MORE had not instructed him to meet with Ukrainian officials.

.@RudyGiuliani tells @margbrennan that Secretary Pompeo did not instruct him to reach out to Ukranians, but was “aware” pic.twitter.com/wtS0tLJ3mO

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) September 29, 2019

“He did not,” Giuliani responded when asked by CBS’s Margaret Brennan whether Pompeo had asked him to arrange the meeting. “[Former Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt] Volker did, and [U.S. Ambassador to the European Union] Gordon Sondland did, but when I talked to the secretary last week, he told me he was aware of it.”

“On July 19th, 2019, Kurt Volker called me, text message to prove it, I put it out last week, would you allow me to give your phone number to [Zelensky aide Andrey] Yermak, who wants to talk to you to clear up the confusion about your cancelled trip to the Ukraine. I said ‘it’s up to you, do you think I should do it?’” Giuliani said.

–Zack Budryk contributed to this report, which was updated at 11:58 a.m.