![Rudy Giuliani said: ‘I can’t express how personally hurt I am by what [his lawyer] Bob Costello has done.’](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/106440f905c84baf6b21f603fef32ab5646e8373/0_13_3249_1949/master/3249.jpg?width=620&dpr=2&s=none)
The New York mayor turned Donald Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani has been sued by his own lawyer, who seeks more than $1.3m in outstanding fees.
“This action simply seeks payment of an outstanding bill for legal services rendered by plaintiffs in the amount of $1,360,196.10,” said a lawsuit filed in New York state supreme court on Monday by Robert J Costello, of Davidoff Hutcher & Citron.
The suit, which also seeks interest and costs, is the latest heavy blow for Giuliani, whose proliferating legal troubles arising from work for Trump – prominently including efforts to overturn the 2020 election – have left him by his own lawyers’ account struggling to deal with spiraling bills.
In a statement, Giuliani said: “I can’t express how personally hurt I am by what Bob Costello has done. It’s a real shame when lawyers do things like this, and all I will say is that their bill is way in excess to anything approaching legitimate fees.”
Giuliani, 79, and Costello, 75, are long-term associates, having been federal prosecutors together in New York in the 1970s.
Giuliani was mayor of New York between 1993 and 2001, leaving office in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. Becoming known as “America’s mayor”, he briefly led the Republican presidential primary in 2008 before crashing out of the race.
He made millions in speaking and consulting fees in the years after 9/11 but his closeness to Trump has proved particularly costly.
When Trump became president, Giuliani sought a cabinet appointment. Missing out, he stayed close as the ex-president’s personal lawyer. His work in Ukraine – seeking dirt on political opponents – contributed to Trump’s first impeachment. His work on Trump’s attempt to overturn his electoral defeat by Joe Biden in 2020 has contributed to his own legal jeopardy and financial distress.
Like Trump, Giuliani has pleaded not guilty to 13 racketeering and conspiracy counts in Georgia. In the same state, Giuliani was found liable for defaming two election workers.
Among other troubles, he faces a $10m lawsuit from a former assistant who alleges offenses including abuse of power, wage theft, sexual assault and harassment. The DC Bar Association has recommended Giuliani be disbarred.
The suit filed on Monday said Costello worked on matters including “representing the defendant while he was being criminally investigated by the US attorney for the southern district of New York, representing the defendant during a pending criminal investigation in Georgia … representing the defendant during a pending criminal investigation by special counsel Jack Smith regarding the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, and representing the defendant during a pending investigation by the US House select committee to investigate the January 6 attack on the US Capitol”.
Giuliani, the suit said, also “directed plaintiffs to supervise more than 10 civil lawsuits … in various state and federal courts as well as participating in representing the defendant in disciplinary proceedings regarding his law license in the District of Columbia and the first department of New York”.
Giuliani had paid $214,000 of the total $1,574,196.10 bill, the suit said.
Trump recently hosted a fundraiser to help Giuliani. But the former mayor’s lawyers have said he is struggling, former donors have reportedly deserted him and his luxury New York apartment was recently put up for sale.