Consider this Midtown split screen.
Donald J. Trump appeared Friday in the lobby of the gilded Fifth Avenue tower that bears his name to revel in the love and campaign money that has come in since his conviction on 34 felony counts.
A few blocks away, at an Italian restaurant on East 56th Street, his former lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani was hosting an 80th birthday party. There was little to celebrate. Mr. Giuliani’s run-ins with the law have left his life and finances in tatters.
When he left a previous party that celebrated the same birthday, he was served with election interference charges in Arizona. He was also indicted in Georgia in connection with his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Mr. Giuliani has filed for bankruptcy and owes two Georgia women a $148 million judgment from a defamation case. He relies on a 9/11 charity as one of his last financial lifelines. Mr. Trump has done little to help with his bills.
That same day, a panel that monitors attorney discipline in Washington recommended Mr. Giuliani’s expulsion.
Shortly after 6 p.m., assisted by a security guard, he got out of a Dodge Durango and entered Amata Restaurant, a white-clothed, red-sauce joint owned by Anthony Carbonetti’s brother-in-law. the former mayor’s chief of staff at City Hall, who attended the party.
Barry Kamins, Mr. Giuliani’s bow-tie-wearing lawyer, stood outside and discussed his beleaguered client’s state of mind: “He had great challenges to overcome, and I find it amazing that he was able to do so despite the pressure he was under , to preserve one’s sanity overall.” of this.”
Mr. Giuliani was dropped by many friends and colleagues. Most recently, John Catsimatidis, the Republican billionaire who owns radio station WABC, yanked Mr. Giuliani from the airwaves after he refused to stop spreading falsehoods about the 2020 election. A public argument broke out between the two old friends in the pages of the New York Post.
“I know we tried to get people to stand up for him as reference figures and a lot of people disappointed us and he was disappointed in them too,” Mr. Kamins said.
Standing next to Mr. Kamins was Arthur Aidala, a lawyer who specializes in representing tabloid villains, wearing a Panama hat at dusk. (“It protects my bald head from the sun,” he said.)
“Anyone who thinks that Mr. Giuliani is off the mark in terms of his legal acumen is sorely mistaken,” Mr. Aidala said. “He’s sharp. We are also representing Mayor Giuliani in his case in Georgia.”
Was there anyone at this party who wasn’t a lawyer? “The waiter,” said Mr. Kamins.
Mr. Aidala also happened to spend time at the Lower Manhattan courthouse where Mr. Trump was on trial. He represents Harvey Weinstein, who appeared at a hearing there on Wednesday. Like many others at the birthday party, Mr. Aidala was unhappy with Mr. Trump’s conviction on charges of hiding hush money to a porn star.
“I don’t think any other person would have been charged the way President Trump was in this case,” he said, “and that’s not because I’m a political fan of President Trump.” I’m a fan of the criminal justice system and I think , we should prosecute people who commit real crimes against real New Yorkers.”
Inside, a crowd that included Mr. Giuliani’s son, Andrew, was served meatballs and penne alla vodka. his daughter Caroline; Bernard B. Kerik, a former New York police commissioner under Mr. Giuliani who once pleaded guilty to eight counts; and Rudy Washington, who was deputy mayor under Mr. Giuliani. Also in attendance were several right-wing media personalities, including former Breitbart News editor Raheem Kassam and Miranda Devine, a New York Post columnist.
Mr. Giuliani’s security guard, Michael Ragusa of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, stood guard at the door with a large can of mace strapped to his leg, refusing him entry. Scott LoBaido, a Trump-loving Staten Island artist who regularly went out to smoke a Marlboro Light, said he recently became “best friends” with Mr. Giuliani.
“He’s one of those people who is constantly persecuted, and I understand that because I’m always persecuted for being a conservative artist, so I like hanging out with people like that.”
Parked on the corner of the block was a van with a sticker that read “ULTRA MAGA.” It belonged to a party guest who called himself “Joe the Box.” He is the owner of the so-called America First Warehouse, a warehouse in Suffolk County for Trump-themed goods. A man walking past the restaurant stopped when his dog tried to urinate. He yanked on the dog’s leash and quickly walked away.
Inside, a large flat-screen TV was rolled on a stand to Mr. Giuliani’s table, according to a recording that a guest later shared with The New York Times. Mr. Giuliani sat cross-legged and watched intently as a birthday message from the former president was played for all to see.
In the video, Mr. Trump stands with a small crowd of people who appear to be his supporters.
“They heard I wanted to say a quick happy birthday to you and said, ‘Can we stay?’ Because we love Rudy Giuliani!’”
The party guests in the restaurant cheered. “You’re a special guy and we love you, Rudy,” Mr. Trump continued. “Just keep fighting. There is no one like you.”
Mr. Giuliani beamed. The video played again.
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2024-06-01 21:07:15
www.nytimes.com
