Lawyer says Giuliani associate Lev Parnas prepared to comply in impeachment inquiry

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

Lev Parnas, one of two Ukrainian-American associates of Rudy Giuliani who were indicted last month, is now prepared to comply with the Democrats' impeachment inquiry into President Trump, his lawyer told Reuters on Monday.

The House impeachment investigators have requested the businessman provide records and testimony related to the ongoing investigation into whether Trump sought to pressure the Ukrainian government for his political gain. Parnas, who at the time was represented by a different lawyer, had previously declined to cooperate with the requests.

“We will honor and not avoid the committee’s requests to the extent they are legally proper, while scrupulously protecting Mr Parnas’ privileges including that of the Fifth Amendment,” Joseph Bondy, Parnas's lawyer, told the news outlet.

Bondy did not immediately return a request for comment from The Hill. Parnas’s former lawyer John Dowd told the House committees participating in the inquiry last month that the requests for his client were "overly broad and unduly burdensome."

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/468918-lawyer-says-giuliani-associate-lev-parnas-prepared-to-comply-in-impeachment

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MSNBC talking about this now (Katy Tur in for Schmuck).

[Kurt V.]

1. why do i get the feeling this is much ado about nothing

[BumRushDaShow]

4. Well...

This might be an opening shot at negotiating for immunity/plea agreements (like Manafort did) as he could pull the plug on Ghouliani. He apparently switched lawyers and is suggesting the option to take the 5th on anything that might be considered incriminating to him specifically.

One issue here being where the hell did Ghoul REALLY get $500,000 from (despite his supposedly being "paid" by Parnas' organization).

Apparently Reuters had the scoop -

Exclusive: Giuliani associate now willing to comply with Trump impeachment inquiry - lawyer
Aram Roston

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lev Parnas, an indicted Ukrainian-American businessman who has ties to President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, is now prepared to comply with requests for records and testimony from congressional impeachment investigators, his lawyer told Reuters on Monday.

Parnas, who helped Giuliani look for dirt on Trump’s political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, is a key figure in the impeachment inquiry that is examining whether Trump abused his office for personal political gain.

His apparent decision to now work with the congressional committees represents a change of heart. Parnas rebuffed a request from three House of Representatives committees last month to provide documents and testimony.

“We will honor and not avoid the committee’s requests to the extent they are legally proper, while scrupulously protecting Mr Parnas’ privileges including that of the Fifth Amendment,” said the lawyer, Joseph Bondy, referring to his client’s constitutional right to avoid self-incrimination.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment-parnas-exclusiv/exclusive-giuliani-associate-now-willing-to-comply-with-trump-impeachment-inquiry-lawyer-idUSKBN1XE297

[empedocles]

2. The Igor, ghouli and lev show will go on for awhile

[BigmanPigman]

3. For some reason I don't trust him, hmmmmmm.

He will pull a Lewandowski if he does show up.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. I think he may be trying to get an immunity/plea deal going

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142390822#post4

[BigmanPigman]

6. Does the article say he is going to take the 5th though?

If he testifies it is a big dea, as big as Bolton testifying.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. The OP excerpt included his new lawyer's quote to protect his right to take the 5th as an option

"...while scrupulously protecting Mr Parnas’ privileges including that of the Fifth Amendment...

[BigmanPigman]

8. I bet Roger Stone uses that

tomorrow when he goes to trial.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. It will be interesting to see if Stone actually does

He seems to be so cocky - maybe enough that he would try to lie his way through trial.

[olddad65]

9. Businessman? That is generous. How about mobster.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Mobsters do "business"

It might not be legal but it's still a pile of "transactions". Selling goods and services.

[crickets]

12. I wonder why it's just Parnas. He and Fruman were such a matched pair up to now.

Is Parnas getting any sort of deal out of this, or just listening to new counsel? If anything substantive comes of his testimony, it will be interesting to see if Fruman quickly follows suit.

[BumRushDaShow]

14. I had mentioned that with a new lawyer, it looks like a plea deal opening shot

And a couple contributors on Ari's show also suggested that as well...

[crickets]

16. I don't want to see him skate, but if Parnas gets a deal

and it's good enough to convince him to sing, that's great. Let him implicate who and what he will.

[BumRushDaShow]

17. We saw Cohen get a bit of a deal, but only limited (yet better than nothing)

and certainly Manafort had one but then reneged on it. So with all the stuff that he is probably guilty of, getting some reduced sentence (like "concurrent" vs "consecutive", etc) would be beneficial.

[UpInArms]

13. Prison must frighten him

Stupid people ... they think they are so smart ... and they think they will get away with their shit

I hope he rots in jail and in hell

[Captain Zero]

15. Hell, I hope he can rat out Jarvanka and Jr.

I hope he can implicate all the GOP Senators and Congressman that took cash and what they promised in return. For instance, Mike Braun in Indiana. They showed up with some tit for tat for him the week before the election.

[UpInArms]

19. And smelly ann

[EndlessWire]

22. I wish he could rat out Pence. n/t

[DeminPennswoods]

18. Reportedly Parnas is po'd that Trump is denying

knowing who he is. No honor among thieves...

[turbinetree]

20. Didn't the guy sitting in New York jail the former campaign manger

say the same thing..........................I will help, but was lying all the time....................that same Manafort, after all these "guy's know each other pretty well..........................

[BumRushDaShow]

21. But then since he had a change of heart

Manafort's ass will rot in jail. Judge Amy Berman Jackson wasn't in the mood to play.

It will be interesting to follow what this guy's strategy will be. Some don't like being thrown under the bus and this guy was. We saw that happen with Cohen, initially with the equivocating and lying, and then reversing and going full bore anti-Drumpf.

[turbinetree]

23. Time will tell, I believe you are correct, about being thrown under the bus.

amazing how loyalty is fleeting moment when someone gets caught...................I really have no pity, they made there proverbial bed and now they will all sleep in it.........................