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ABC News

Giuliani says he won’t be on Trump impeachment defense team

PHOTO: US President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani speaks to supporters from The Ellipse near the White House on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC.
8:01
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
How Joe Biden's inauguration will be different from previous years
By Libby Cathey, Kennedey Bell, Lauren King, Adia Robinson, Morgan Winsor, Catherine Thorbecke, Meredith Deliso, Ivan Pereira
Last Updated: January 18, 2021, 4:49 AM

President Donald Trump is slated to hand over control of the White House to President-elect Joe Biden in three days.

The House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump last Wednesday on an article for "incitement of insurrection" for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol -- making him the only president to be impeached twice.

Top headlines:

  • Biden announces 5 key nominations at State Department
  • Kamala Harris kicks off week of inauguration events
  • Incoming White House chief of staff gives overview of Biden's first 10 days
  • House Dems open investigation into Capitol attack
  • Harris to be sworn in by Justice Sonia Sotomayor at inauguration
Here is how the scene is unfolding. All times Eastern.

Jan 18, 2021 4:49 AM

Giuliani says he won’t be on Trump impeachment defense team

Rudy Giuliani tells ABC News he will not be part of President Donald Trump's legal team for the upcoming Senate impeachment trial.

“Because I gave an earlier speech [at the January 6 Trump rally before the Capitol riot],” Giuliani told ABC News Sunday night, “I am a witness and therefore unable to participate in court or Senate chamber.”

Trump was impeached by the House for the second time last week following the siege on the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.

-ABC News' Jonathan Karl


Jan 17, 2021 9:26 PM

Delaware shelter celebrates 'indoguration' for 1st shelter dog to live in the White House

The Delaware Humane Association hosted a virtual party with over 10,000 people to celebrate the first shelter dog moving into the White House.

While Champ and Major won't put their paws in the White House until Wednesday, the association held the fundraiser Sunday to celebrate the history being made: Major was adopted by Biden in March 2018.

"It means everything to us because it shines a light on the work we do," Delaware Humane Association's executive director Patrick Carroll said Sunday during the virtual party. "It shows that shelters are a wonderful place to adopt."

PHOTO: Joe and Jill Biden with their dogs, Major and Champ, in a photo posted to Joe Biden's Instagram account.
joebiden/Instagram
Joe and Jill Biden with their dogs, Major and Champ, in a photo posted to Joe Biden's Instagram account.
joebiden/Instagram

The shelter showed off photos of Major during his stay there in 2018 along with video of him and the president-elect. It also revealed dog "secretaries" which were dogs from its shelter that were selected by fans.

The Delaware Humane Association raised over $100,000, according to its host.

MORE: Biden's dogs bring return of presidential pets to the White House

Biden's two German shepherds will also be the first dogs to live in the White House in four years, though Champ is no stranger to Washington. The Biden family brought the dog into their home in 2008 and he resided with them during his two terms as vice president.


Jan 17, 2021 7:34 PM

Trump loyalist installed as NSA's general counsel

The National Security Agency confirmed to ABC News that Michael Ellis has been named to be the agency’s new general counsel.

Ellis, who is considered to be a Trump loyalist, was pre-selected for the job, but his placement was slow-rolled by NSA Director Paul M. Nakasone.

Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller demanded the NSA to put him in the career civil service job by 6 p.m. Saturday night, according to a source.

"Mr. Ellis accepted his final job offer yesterday afternoon. NSA is moving forward with his employment," an NSA spokesperson said in a statement provided to ABC News.

The Washington Post first reported the installation.

The NSA’s general counsel is a career civil service position and not an appointee position. Anyone in that post would continue on regardless of a change in administrations. They could only be removed under the same guidelines in place for other civil servants. There is a probationary period and tenure policy in place.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez



Jan 17, 2021 5:19 PM

Man arrested near Capitol allegedly with pistol, large capacity magazine

A Virginia man has been arrested near the Capitol while in possession of a gun, according to authorities.

Gordonsville resident Guy Berry, 22, was arrested at 12:15 a.m. on the 200 block of Massachusetts Avenue, the police report states. He was allegedly in possession of three high capacity magazines and 37 rounds of unregistered ammunition, police said.

Berry was charged with carrying a pistol without a license, possession of a large capacity magazine and unregistered ammunition. 

-ABC News’ Jack Date


Jan 15, 2021 11:46 PM

Barry Berke, veteran of Trump's 1st impeachment, to be House Dems' top lawyer for 2nd trial

Barry Berke, the veteran New York defense lawyer who helped House Democrats argue President Donald Trump's first impeachment last year, will rejoin the House Judiciary Committee as the panel's lead impeachment lawyer for Trump's second trial, the panel announced Friday. 

Berke will serve as chief impeachment counsel, supported by a team of attorneys from the House Judiciary and Oversight committees who helped Democrats make their case to the Senate last year that Trump abused his office by trying to pressure Ukraine's president to dig up dirt on then-candidate Joe Biden.

PHOTO: Democratic staff attorney Barry Berke testifies as the House Judiciary Committee hears investigative findings in the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump, Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP, FILE
Democratic staff attorney Barry Berke testifies as the House Judiciary Committee hears investigative findings in the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump, Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP, FILE

While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., unveiled a team of nine new impeachment managers to make the case that Trump should be convicted of inciting the Capitol Hill riot that left five people dead, the presence of Berke and the rest of the legal team underscores the unique position House Democrats are in: For the first time in American history, they will have a team of lawyers behind them with experience arguing in a Senate impeachment trial. 

MORE: 6 questions about Trump's 2nd impeachment trial answered, much still unknown

Democrats could transmit the impeachment article to the Senate as early as next week, which could trigger the start of proceedings following Biden's inauguration on Wednesday. 

There has been no official announcement on who will represent Trump in the trial, but personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and Alan Dershowitz, who took part in the last trial, may be on the team, sources told ABC News. Trump favorite John Eastman, who led a failed election challenge to the Supreme Court, could also join the team.

-ABC News' Katherine Faulders and Benjamin Siegel


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