In the latest development concerning Rudy Giuliani, former mayor on New York and former counsel to Donald Trump, his erstwhile legal representative has expressed a desire to withdraw from his defense team. Philadelphia-based attorney Bruce Castor has petitioned the court to terminate his representation of Giuliani, citing non-compliance and non-payment on the part of his client.
As per a motion submitted last Friday, Castor voiced his dissatisfaction over Giuliani’s apparent uncooperativeness and default on payment for legal services. He claimed that Giuliani had neglected to adhere to requests for information and failed to participate constructively in his defense strategy.
This motion comes amid a civil lawsuit launched against Giuliani by a voting supervisor who argues that he was the target of unwarranted slander, public ridicule, and threats of violence due to erroneous assertions about the 2020 election disseminated by Giuliani, former President Trump, and two GOP poll watchers.
Originally, Castor was intended to serve only as a placeholder counsel until a lawyer from Texas could assume the case. However, circumstances necessitated his continued involvement, which he pursued reluctantly to maintain professional relationships with other legal practitioners and former clients.
Despite the imposition of a strict deadline for Giuliani to submit outstanding documents and remit part of his retainer, Castor claims these obligations were not met. Castor’s motion, first reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer, underlined his issues with Giuliani stating, “He’s not cooperating, and he’s not paying me.”
However, Giuliani’s spokesperson and political advisor, Ted Goodman, dismissed these allegations, asserting that Castor had been compensated for his services. He accused Castor of violating the spirit of attorney-client confidentiality and cautioning potential clients about working with him.
Goodman confirmed that Giuliani will seek alternative legal counsel but did not provide further details. As it stands, Giuliani has been embroiled in multiple legal battles, including a lawsuit from a phone company over unpaid bills and a sexual harassment claim lodged by a former employee.
Giuliani’s license to practice law has been suspended in New York since 2021 due to his controversial statements about the 2020 Presidential election, and there is a possibility he may lose his license in Washington as well. Castor, on the other hand, is known for his defense of Trump during impeachment proceedings and for declining to charge Bill Cosby with sexual misconduct allegations in 2005.