"He's been lying over his life. The guy's been a corrupt politician since the brother got phony loans when he was in the Senate. Every place where Joe Biden was [...] appointed by Obama, the Biden family came away with millions", Giuliani said, adding"... I’ve seen things written like he’s going to throw me under the bus. When they say that, I say he isn’t, but I have insurance", cited by Fox News.
Hours after the interview was aired, Trump's personal lawyer tweeted on the alleged "insurance", stressing that if he "disappears" - hinting at the possibility of Trump dumping him in the ongoing impeachment probe - "it will appear immediately along with my RICO chart".
TRUTH ALERT:
— Rudy Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) November 23, 2019
The statement I’ve made several times of having an insurance policy, if thrown under bus, is sarcastic & relates to the files in my safe about the Biden Family’s 4 decade monetizing of his office.
If I disappear, it will appear immediately along with my RICO chart.
In a thinly-veiled warning, Giuliani is referring to the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) bill, adopted in 1970, commonly known as the RICO act. The legislation enables investigations and prosecutions of all individuals involved in a corrupt organization, instead of probing mafia-related crimes individually and separately. The act also provides for much stricter penalties under the law should the defendants be found guilty.
The RICO act provides for prison terms of 20 years and high fines, including the forfeiture of assets amassed by those convicted. Apart from the so-called classic crime family, street gang or drug cartel, the RICO Act can be also applied to corporations, political parties, or healthcare companies.
Giuliani's Saturday claim broke amid the ongoing impeachment probe against Trump. House Democrats allege that Trump pressed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate the Bidens by withholding nearly $400 million in US military aid - a charge Republicans deny, pointing to the remittance of payments several weeks prior to the Trump's 25 July request.
Giuliani has become a top target for House Dems. Several witnesses in the impeachment probe have publicly testified that they were uncomfortable with a shadow campaign reportedly waged by Giuliani to oust former US Envoy to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, whose anti-corruption stance would have hindered his efforts to convince Ukraine to launch an investigation into Biden.
