The rise and fall of Rudy Giuliani is a sight to behold

The former New York mayor’s situation now is a sad reflection on a life that once seemed to hold the utmost promise, writes Kim Sengupta

An astonishing fall from grace for the former mayor of New York (AP)

The raids on the homes and offices of Rudy Giuliani came as no surprise. They resulted from an effort to smear Joe Biden through his son Hunter’s work in Ukraine, an effort that has spectacularly backfired, making him the subject of an FBI investigation and triggering Donald Trump’s first impeachment.

The searches followed many recent humiliating episodes in the life of Giuliani – his ludicrous legal attempts to prove that Trump had won the presidential election; an incoherent appearance on television, and being filmed by concealed camera lying in bed fumbling with his trousers in the presence of a young woman in a sting for a Borat film. Not to mention a press conference with black hair-dye running down his sweaty face under television lights, as he spouted imaginary tales of stolen votes.

Giuliani was back on television again after the FBI visit. Unsurprisingly it was on Fox TV, the one channel that still gives him a regular platform, with Tucker Carlson. It was a meandering performance, which included accusing the agents of ignoring incriminating evidence he offered them on Hunter Biden. At one stage he got names mixed up, Tucker was called Hunter.