Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor and attorney to Donald Trump, has been disbarred in Washington, DC, marking another significant professional setback.
According to a CNN report, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals announced Thursday that Giuliani faces disbarment following a similar action in New York earlier this summer. Both decisions are tied to his attempts to challenge the 2020 election results for former President Trump.
Disbarment in DC results from the reciprocal relationship between the DC Bar and the New York Bar. When an attorney is disbarred in one jurisdiction, it often leads to similar actions in other jurisdictions where they are licensed to practice.
Giuliani's disbarment in DC is just one of several legal challenges he currently faces across the country.
In addition to losing his law license in New York and now DC, Giuliani is embroiled in criminal proceedings in Georgia and Arizona. These cases are directly related to his involvement in attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Giuliani has pleaded not guilty to the charges in both states.
Furthermore, Giuliani was recently ordered to pay $148 million in a defamation case. This judgment stems from false allegations he made about two Georgia election workers following the 2020 election.
The disbarment process in New York, which led to the DC action, was conducted largely out of public view.
In July, the New York Supreme Court issued a scathing assessment of Giuliani's conduct in its disbarment order. The court stated that Giuliani had "not only deliberately violated some of the most fundamental tenets of the legal profession, but he also actively contributed to the national strife that has followed the 2020 Presidential election, for which he is entirely unrepentant."
This harsh critique from the New York court underscores the severity of Giuliani's actions in the eyes of the legal community and sets a precedent for other jurisdictions to follow suit.
In response to the DC disbarment, Giuliani's team has issued a defiant statement through his spokesperson, Ted Goodman.
Goodman said:
Members of the legal community who want to protect the integrity of our justice system should immediately speak out against this partisan, politically motivated decision. The people coming after Mayor Giuliani can't take away the fact that he remains the most effective prosecutor in American history, who did more to improve the lives of others than almost any other American alive today.
This statement suggests that Giuliani and his team view the disbarment as a political attack rather than a legitimate professional sanction. However, it remains to be seen how this stance will affect any potential efforts to reinstate his law license in the future.
Rudy Giuliani's disbarment in Washington, DC, represents a significant blow to his legal career and reputation. The decision, stemming from his actions following the 2020 election, adds to a growing list of legal and professional challenges he faces nationwide. With criminal charges pending in multiple states and a substantial defamation judgment against him, Giuliani's future in the legal profession appears increasingly uncertain.
