Rudy Giuliani's no good, very bad day

The MoJo Daily newsletter, Monday through Friday. [View in browser]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter](     August 15, 2022 I have to admit that I get no pleasure from Donald Trump's misfortunes. The former president's alleged hoarding of [nuclear documents]( isn't funny—it's freaking terrifying. But when Rudy Giuliani finds himself trapped in a web of his own making, well, the schadenfreude is real. From the [Four Seasons Total Landscaping snafu]( to the [weird sweating situation]( to the cringeworthy [Masked Singer performance]( to the seemingly [drunken antics](, Giuliani has inadvertently styled himself as something of a court jester to Trump's king. So when I read today that Giuliani is reportedly the subject of a [criminal investigation]( into election interference in Georgia, my first thought was not, "Will he be charged?" but, "What new memes will this investigation produce?" In all seriousness, though, this is a pretty big deal. Investigators, who have been looking into efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia, are reportedly focusing on Giuliani's appearances before [two legislative panels]( in which he repeated conspiracy theories and urged State House members not to certify the election results. And Giuliani isn't the only Trump ally who's having a bad day. Today, a federal judge [denied]( South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham's request to avoid having to testify as a witness in the case before a Georgia grand jury. Shortly after the 2020 election, Graham made two phone calls to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to ask about the rules for discarding some mail-in ballots. Nearly two years after Trump's team embarked on their effort to steal the election, the criminal investigations finally seem to be ramping up. There's no telling if Giuliani will face any consequences beyond, you know, [disbarment](, but I'll be watching the proceedings with bated breath either way. —Abigail Weinberg Advertisement [Kids in Need of Defense]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [Now the Far Right Is Going After School Counselors]( They've been called pedophiles, groomers, and "recruiters for the Transgender Cult." BY KIERA BUTLER SPONSORED CONTENT BY KIDS IN NEED OF DEFENSE   Reunite Children and Families It’s been four years since the Trump administration’s cruel family separation policy ended — but its devastating legacy endures today. Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) has been at the forefront of reuniting families. Join us to demand Congress reunite every family and provide the services these families need >> [Join here.]( [Trending] [Defending Trump on live TV is getting really awkward for Republicans]( BY PEMA LEVY   [We didn't deserve Freya the Walrus]( BY IAN GORDON   [Trump's excuses for hoarding classified documents are getting more absurd]( BY INAE OH   [Why Europeans say no (non, nein, ne, nee) to air conditioning]( BY HENRY GRABAR Advertisement [Kids in Need of Defense]( [Special Feature] [Special Feature]( [Biden’s IRA Targets a Corporate Tactic for Amassing Wealth and Avoiding Taxes. Will It Work?]( Everything you need to know about the proposed 1 percent tax on stock buybacks. BY HANNAH LEVINTOVA [Fiercely Independent] Support from readers allows Mother Jones to do journalism that doesn't just follow the pack. [Donate]( Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by [forwarding]( it to a friend or sharing it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755