Marie Yovanovitch, former United States Ambassador to Ukraine, directly blamed Rudy Giuliani during an impeachment hearing on Friday for orchestrating a smear campaign back in July of 2019 aimed at ousting her from her position.
Responding to a question from Democratic counsel Daniel Goldman at Friday’s public impeachment hearing, Yovanovitch testified that “Giuliani and the corrupt foreign prosecutor, had plans to quote, ‘do things to me.'” (RELATED: White House Drops Transcript Of First Call Between Trump And Ukraine At Start Of Public Impeachment Hearing)
Yovanovitch added that at the time, she “didn’t really know” what that meant, but “with the advantage of hindsight, I think that meant removing me from my job in Ukraine.”
She also mentioned Giuliani’s two indicted associates, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, as playing a pivotal part in the smear campaign. (RELATED: Giuliani Associates Plead Not Guilty To Campaign Finance Violations)
Later in her testimony, Yovanovitch accused Giuliani and his associates of promoting a series of articles, based on false allegations, detailing alleged improper behavior conducted by Yovanovitch, including badmouthing President Trump and giving him a “do not prosecute list.”
She claimed to be “worried” upon seeing the allegations in the articles, all of which she claimed to be false in her testimony.
As of Thursday, Giuliani is reportedly being investigated for violating campaign finance law and failing to register as a foreign agent in relation to his actions in Ukraine.