This archive report was first published on 23 October 2019.
On October 23, 2019, a lawyer for Lev Parnas, one of two indicted associates of President Trump's personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, argued in federal court that the case could be tied to the president himself due to potential executive privilege.
Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, the two associates, pleaded not guilty to federal charges that they had made illegal campaign contributions to political candidates in the United States in exchange for potential influence.
The unusual argument was raised by a defense lawyer in federal court in Manhattan as the two associates faced charges related to violations of campaign-finance law.
Prosecutors said during the hearing that they have gathered a large volume of materials as part of the ongoing investigation, pursuant to more than a dozen search warrants.
Edward B. MacMahon Jr., a lawyer for Mr. Parnas, told the judge in the case that the potential for the White House to invoke executive privilege stemmed from the fact that Mr. Parnas had used Mr. Giuliani as his own lawyer at the same time Mr. Giuliani was working as Mr. Trump's lawyer.
Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman were charged earlier this month with concealing the source of political donations in order to advance their own business interests and the political interests of Ukrainian government officials.
