Rudy Giuliani stumps for son’s gubernatorial bid in Binghamton

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Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani stumped for his son Andrew’s campaign for governor in Binghamton Thursday. (Vaughn Golden/WSKG)

Former New York City Mayor and advisor to former President Donald Trump Rudy Giuliani stumped for his son Andrew, as the latter vies for the Republican nomination for governor.

Giuliani spoke to reporters at Binghamton’s Recreation Park two days before early voting begins in the gubernatorial primary.

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Giuliani said when asked if Trump should endorse his son ahead of the primary.

While he hasn’t made a formal endorsement, Trump spoke at a fundraiser for Andrew Giuliani’s campaign held at the former president’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey this week.

“He made it very very clear how effective Andrew is,” Giuliani said.

In his remarks, Giuliani, a former federal prosecutor, criticized Broome County officials for not intercepting the man charged with killing 10 people at a Tops in Buffalo.

“The school officials knew about it, the medical officials knew about it and the police officials knew about it and they did nothing about it,” Giuliani said. “That’s because we have a state that does everything it can to help criminals.”

The alleged shooter, Payton Gendron of Conklin, made violent threats against his high school prior to graduating last year.

Broome County District Attorney Michael Korchak, a Republican, has defended his office’s decision not to request a red flag order against Gendron. Such an order would’ve allowed a judge to prevent him from legally purchasing firearms.

“We have to prove to the court that he is likely to harm himself or others,” Korchak said the week after the shooting. “And we had a medical professional evaluate him and say that, at that point in time, he wasn’t likely to harm himself or others. So we’re kind of bound by the law.”

Rudy Giuliani affirmed Andrew would enforce the red flag law as it exists.

“Andrew would enforce the laws that exist, like I did,” the elder Giuliani said. “I enforced the laws that exist and I needed no new gun laws to reduce murder in New York.”

Earlier this month, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a package of new firearms legislation. The package included a bill expanding the types of medical professionals who can request red flag orders.

Giuliani spoke at the same time the select committee to investigate the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol held its third hearing. Just minutes before, the committee played testimony of former White House lawyer Eric Herschmann indicating that he had a conversation with Giuliani the morning of the attack on the Capitol. Herschman testified that Giuliani appeared to agree with his belief that former Vice President Mike Pence did not have the legal ability to reject certification of the election results.

Giuliani refused to comment on Herschmann’s testimony when pressed by WSKG, but called the select committee’s work a “witch hunt.”