This is a revelation from Maggie Haberman in her New York Times OpEd today. The portion which I at first found to be an astounding example of chutzpa and then I experienced a kind of Ho-Hum moment of “so what else can you expect from the upside down inside out world of politics we live in”? I was reminded of the analogy from “Stranger Things” which Florida Judge Mark Walker used last week when he temporarily blocked Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Stop Woke Act. He compared it to “the alternative reality called the “Upside Down,” a dimension that depicts a dark and haunting mirrored version of our own world riddled with violent creatures.” Reference
What got to me was in the subtitle.
These are the first few paragraphs of the OpEd:
An associate of Rudolph W. Giuliani, President Donald J. Trump’s personal lawyer, tried to pass a message to Mr. Trump asking him to grant Mr. Giuliani a “general pardon” and the Presidential Medal of Freedom just after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, according to a new book.
The associate, Maria Ryan, also pleaded for Mr. Giuliani to be paid for his services and sent a different note seeking tens of thousands of dollars for herself, according to the book, “Giuliani: The Rise and Tragic Fall of America’s Mayor,” by Andrew Kirtzman, who had covered Mr. Giuliani as a journalist. The New York Times obtained an advance copy of the book, which is set to be released next month.
Bernard B. Kerik, Mr. Giuliani’s close adviser and the New York City police commissioner for part of his time as mayor, stopped the letter from getting to Mr. Trump. And it is unclear if Mr. Giuliani, who helped lead the efforts to overturn the 2020 election but has repeatedly insisted he did not seek a pardon shielding him from potential charges, was involved in the request.
Not only does the message ask for a pardon and the Medal of Freedom, but almost like throwing the kitchen sink into the mix it included a plea that he be paid for his services.
We may never know whether Giuliani was behind this letter or his associate composed and sent it on her own without his knowledge. It does sound to me that the letter came about when Rudy in rambling drunken stupor sat down with the associate, Maria Ryan, and told her what he wanted. It almost seems like as an afterthought Rudy decided to add that since he was asking for the pardon, and the medal, he might as well try to get some cash from his old boss too.
I think it is interesting too that Bernard Kerik is the one that stopped the letter from getting to Trump. He’s not known to be stupid. This suggests that whoever actually wanted it sent it had no direct and certain way to be sure it would get to the then president.
I can see Rudy wanting a pardon, but it is the pinnacle of chutzpah to add to his pleading for a get out of jail free card a request to be awarded the Medal of Freedom from him and join MIRIAM ADELSON, ORRIN G. HATCH, ALAN PAGE, ELVIS PRESLEY, BABE” RUTH, ANTONIN SCALIA, and ROGER STAUBACH who Trump presented the award to in 2018. Reference
There have been a wide variety of recipients of the Medal of Freedom but none that I know of went from being considered a hero to being a laughing stock, although Devin Nunes and Jim Jordan to whom Trump gave the award in 2021 have always been in the later category.
Related:
Rudy Giuliani, a target in Atlanta probe into Trump 2020 election subversion scheme, appears before grand jury