The Docket: Ukraine Scandal Could Mean Legal Troubles for Rudy Giuliani

Rudy Giuliani is at the center of President Donald Trump's alleged efforts to pressure Ukraine into investigating his political rivals. The former New York City mayor and Trump's personal lawyer — who has insisted he acted at the request of the State Department — was subpoenaed by House Democrats this week. Now, he's hired a lawyer and even threatened to sue Congress. 

The move raises the question: Could Giuliani be legally liable for his actions? 

Jessica Roth, the co-director of the Jacob Burns Center for Ethics at Yeshiva University's Cardozo School of Law, says it is possible — if Giuliani is shown to have brokered a deal to trade dirt on Biden for foreign aid.

"It's also possible that Giuliani could be considered a principal in a campaign finance violation because the campaign finance laws make it a crime to solicit or accept anything of value from a foreign entity," Roth said.

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The Docket is our series in which WNYC’s All Things Considered host Jami Floyd takes a deep dive into the American legal system.