Jeb Bush is disappointed Rudy Giuliani brought now-indicted associate to George H.W. Bush's state funeral
When Rudy Giuliani attended former President George H.W. Bush's state funeral at Washington's National Cathedral last December, few people paid any heed to the obscure Florida businessman who accompanied him, evidently as his plus-one. But then his guest, Lev Parnas, was indicted and arrested last week along with a second Giuliani associate, Igor Fruman — who also may have been at the funeral with Giuliani — and Giuliani's funeral companion suddenly seemed noteworthy.
Parnas definitely "was not invited" to the funeral, Bush's son Jeb Bush told BuzzFeed News on Tuesday. "Rudy was and it is likely that he was Rudy’s guest. Disappointing."
Prosecutors in New York charged Parnas and Fruman with conspiracy and campaign finance violations, but they are also apparently examining political work the duo did in Ukraine with Giuliani to help President Trump politically. For added color, Fruman owns or owned part of a bar in Odessa, Ukraine, called Mafia Rave, and the Parnas firm that hired Giuliani is called Fraud Guarantee.
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Giuliani denies all wrongdoing.
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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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