Lincoln Project says it will sue Rudy Giuliani over Capitol riot claims

Following comments by former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, Lincoln Project founder Steve Schmidt says the group will take legal action against both him and his client, Donald Trump.

In an appearance on former Trump adviser Steve Bannon’s podcast on Friday, Mr Giuliani accused the anti-Trump former Republican of being playing a role in the organisation of the storming of the US Capitol by pro-Trump rioters.

Mr Schmidt told MSNBC host Ali Velshi that he was “thrilled” at the prospect of suing Mr Giuliani, Mr Trump, and Mr Bannon for defamation.

Speaking on Saturday morning, Mr Schmidt said: “Well, what's amazing about it, Ali is that at the end of it when you cut it off when Bannon goes to, 'you're killing me, you're killing me,' because Steve Bannon knows he's going to get sued by us also, and he is, and so is Donald Trump who is Rudy Giuliani's client, and Rudy Giuliani is acting on his behest.”

He added: “But look, it is very difficult to sue somebody for defamation or libel in the United States, but our lawyers are telling us that Rudy is well across the line so we're thrilled about this.”

As a Republican Mr Schmidt was a key figure in campaigns for George W Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and John McCain, to whom he was senior strategist in the 2008 presidential election.

Mr Schmidt left the Republican Party in 2018, disgusted by Donald Trump’s presidency.

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He joined with other conservatives to found The Lincoln Project, the anti-Trump political action committee determined to prevent the re-election of Mr Trump.

Mr Giuliani has made many wild claims regarding the presidential election, Joe Biden’s family, and the storming of the Capitol.

The attack on Congress by supporters of Mr Trump on 6 January led to the deaths of five people on the day and two subsequent deaths by suicide.

A week later the former president was impeached by the House of Representatives for incitement of insurrection for his actions on the day.

His trial in the Senate begins on 9 February.