Giuliani Laments Having Only ‘Five Friends Left’ After Failing To Hang Up On Reporter

PALM BEACH, FL - DECEMBER 19: Trump Attorney Rudy Giuliani Addresses the crowd at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit on December 19, 2019 in Palm Beach, Florida. Conservative high school students gathered for a 4-day invite-only conference hosted by Turning Point USA to hear from conservative leaders and activists from across the U.S.(Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images)
PALM BEACH, FL - DECEMBER 19: Trump Attorney Rudy Giuliani addresses the crowd at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit on December 19, 2019 in Palm Beach, Florida. Conservative high school students gathered fo... PALM BEACH, FL - DECEMBER 19: Trump Attorney Rudy Giuliani addresses the crowd at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit on December 19, 2019 in Palm Beach, Florida. Conservative high school students gathered for a 4-day invite-only conference hosted by Turning Point USA to hear from conservative leaders and activists from across the U.S.(Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images) MORE LESS
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Upon thinking that he hung up on a Daily News reporter Wednesday, Rudy Giuliani began complaining about former New York Gov. George Pataki and how he only has “five friends left.”

Giuliani, who’s gained a reputation for butt-dialing journalists, was overheard by the Daily News reporter confessing to someone he called “Tony.” The reporter had asked Giuliani about Pataki’s forthcoming book, which claims Giuliani privately asked Pataki to call off the city’s 2001 mayoral election for the purpose of remaining in office in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

After telling the reporter that “there were people who wanted me to do it,” he “thought about it for two days, but I never asked him to do it.”

“Even if we would have had that conversation, it would have been privileged between a mayor and a governor … He’s an honorable guy. I can’t believe he would do that,” Giuliani said. “I just keep getting disappointed. I got about five friends left.”

Giuliani eventually hung up after claiming that the conversation Pataki wrote in his book “didn’t take place.”

It’s not the first time the former New York mayor has inadvertently spilled info to a reporter. Back in October, Giuliani butt-dialed NBC reporter Rich Shaprio — twice!

Giuliani is known for being pretty accessible to journalists, often over text messages. As President Trump’s personal attorney, Giuliani led the Ukraine pressure campaign that ultimately led to Trump’s impeachment. It seems that episode has put a dent in Giulaini’s social life.

Correction: This post originally reported that Pataki had asked Giuliani to cancel the mayoral race, according to Pataki’s book. It was reportedly the other way around.

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