Ex-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani Slams Democratic Party: 'They're Living in a Fantasy World

PHILADELPHIA — Standing steps away from a red, white and blue boxing ring, ex-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani slammed the Democratic Party and its convention as "corrupt" and based on a "fantasy."

"It’s a fantasy convention. They’re living in a fantasy world," Giuliani said during a GOP press conference with other New York Republicans Wednesday afternoon. "They’re living in a world where everything is great and terrific."

But what’s not terrific, Giuliani said, is the "pattern" he has seen on how the DNC and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton have handled their emails.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani at the GOP convention in Cleveland. (Getty Images/Tom Williams)

“This whole thing about emails is getting to be exceedingly dangerous,” he said. “The pattern that emerges is: Hillary Clinton couldn’t keep top-secret emails safe, nor can the Democratic National Committee.”

The former mayor said there is “no doubt’ that foreign entities gained access to Clinton’s private email server that she used during her tenure as secretary of state, and “guaranteed” that the thousands of missing emails “contain incriminating information."

“If they can hack the DNC’s computers, which [are] much better defended ... than her computer, there’s no question they hacked hers,” he said. “So those emails are being held by people and should be released before the election. If they’re not released before the election, they can be used to extort her, they can be used to influence her, they can be used to threaten her.”

Giuliani, who referred to the Clinton Foundation as a “racketeering enterprise,” added that he could “guarantee” that the thousands of Clinton’s missing emails “contain incriminating information” about her family’s foundation and “favors” Clinton gave as secretary of state.

Giuliani staunchly defended GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, who earlier Wednesday encouraged Russian hackers to locate and release the missing Clinton emails. The ex-mayor said he was “sure” Trump really meant that he wanted the missing emails to be released to the FBI.

New York Rep. Lee Zeldin (R) also told reporters that Trump wants the missing emails to be released to the FBI, especially if they are marked classified. Unclassified emails, he said, should be seen by the public.

“There’s a big difference between releasing emails to the FBI and releasing emails onto the internet,” Zeldin said, adding that cybersecurity is a “top priority” for the GOP.

Despite his harsh excoriation of Clinton and her emails, Giuliani distanced himself from the “lock her up” chants from GOP convention attendees, including at a New York delegation breakfast where he spoke.

He said he does not “presume” that the former secretary of state is guilty of a crime, but contended that as a former prosecutor he believes there is enough evidence to indict her.

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