After calling for “trial by combat” to overturn the election during Trump rally in DC, Rudy Giuliani downplays mob violence on OAN

Written by Madeline Peltz

Published

During a speech at the “Save America” rally outside the White House today, former mayor of New York City and personal attorney to the president Rudy Giuliani called for “trial by combat” to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

From the January 6, 2020, "Save America" rally

Later in the day, Giuliani appeared on pro-Trump propaganda outlet One America News and downplayed the day's violence at the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump rioters, claiming that “I can't say it's nothing, but in comparison” to demonstrations in New York City, “this would be considered preliminary to maybe something that's going to happen.”

From the January 6, 2020, edition of One America News' Wall to Wall with Greta

RUDY GIULIANI: The president put out a statement saying he wants it to be peaceful. I think the reaction was proportionate to the situation. I mean, this is wrong, this shouldn't happen. Nobody should be destroying property ever, and when they do they should be arrested. However, when you look at the riots like I'm kind of used to in New York, the ones I had to deal with -- and not just as mayor, but the ones we had to deal with this year -- I can't say it's nothing, but in comparison to that, this is, you know, would be, I think in New York this would be considered preliminary to maybe something that's going to happen