National

Giuliani: Trump won't pardon targets in Russia probe while investigation is taking place

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump's lead attorney Sunday walked back earlier suggestions that targets in the ongoing investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election could be pardoned by the president.

"The president is not going to issue a pardon in this investigation," Rudy Giuliani said. "I want that to come out loud and clear."

But Giuliani, in an appearance on CNN's State of the Union, left open the possibility that the president could take action when the Russia inquiry was concluded if he determined that people had been "treated unfairly."

"You are not going to get a pardon just because you are involved in this investigation," the outspoken former New York mayor said, before quickly adding that those targets "certainly won't be excluded."

Giuliani raised the prospect that the president was considering pardons late last week, after former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was jailed for violating terms of his bail in Washington. He is awaiting a September trial on money laundering and fraud charges. He also faces a July trial in Alexandria, Va., where he is charged with bank and tax fraud.

A federal judge revoked Manafort's $10 million bond Friday after he was charged with obstruction for allegedly tampering with witnesses in the pending criminal cases against him.

Manafort is one of 20 people known to be charged in the yearlong Russia investigation. Five people, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn, and Trump campaign deputy Rick Gates have pleaded guilty.

"When the whole thing is over, things might get cleaned up with some presidential pardons," Giuliani told the New York Daily News. "You put a guy in jail if he’s trying to kill witnesses, not just talking to witnesses."

Giuliani also renewed his attacks on the legitimacy of the Russia inquiry headed by Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller.

Citing findings in last week's Justice Department inspector general's report related to the conduct of two senior FBI agents, the former mayor called for a review of the origins of the Russia investigation.

The inspector general, during an 18-month review of the handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, unearthed text messages exchanged by the agents in which they disparaged Trump. Both of the agents held top positions in both the FBI's Clinton and Trump investigations.

In one of the messages, FBI counter-intelligence official Peter Strzok suggested that he might take action to "stop" Trump's candidacy.

"We want the Mueller probe to be investigated," Giuliani said Sunday.

Later Sunday, Giuliani said on CBS' Face the Nation that he would continue to push for such an internal review as a condition in the ongoing negotiations with Mueller who is seeking an interview with Trump in the Russia inquiry.

As part of that investigation, Mueller's team is reviewing whether Trump sought to obstruct the probe when he fired FBI Director James Comey last year.

"We are in rather sensitive negotiations," Giuliani said, adding that it was important to first learn whether Strzok had "infected" the Russia investigation before he was removed last year.

"I don't want to do it," Giuliani said, referring to a Mueller interview with Trump. "The president wants to do it."

The former mayor said a decision on a possible interview would likely be made by July 4.