Rudy Giuliani Resigns From Law Firm: Report

DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Rudy Giuliani has resigned from his law firm Greenburg Traurig, the New York Times reported on Thursday.

The former New York City mayor and personal lawyer for President Donald Trump announced that he was leaving the law firm on Thursday.

"In light of the pressing demands of the (special counsel Robert) Mueller investigation, I believe it is in everyone's best interest that I make it a permanent resignation," Giuliani said in a statement. "This way, my sole concentration can be on this critically important matter for our country."

Giuliani's resignation comes after a series of erratic television interviews and statements during which he said that Trump had reimbursed his personal lawyer Michael Cohen for a payment Cohen made to Stephanie Clifford, the pornographic film actress known by her stage name Stormy Daniels. Clifford has said she was paid $130,000 to prevent her from discussing an alleged sexual encounter she had with Trump before the 2016 election.

Firm partners at Greenburg Traurig "chafed" at Giuliani's series of remarks about the payment, the Times reported.

In an interview with Sean Hannity, Giuliani said that payments like the one Cohen made to Daniels were common at his firm.

"Michael would take care of things like this. Like, I take care of this with my clients. I don’t burden them with every single thing that comes along. These are busy people," Giuliani said in the interview, according to a transcript.

"We cannot speak for Mr. Giuliani with respect to what was intended by his remarks," a spokeswoman for Greenburg Traurig said in a statement to the Times. "Speaking for ourselves, we would not condone payments of the nature alleged to have been made or otherwise without the knowledge and direction of a client."

You can read the New York Times' complete report here.

This is a developing story. Please refresh this page for updates.

Image credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images. Image caption: Latest appointee to President Donald Trump's legal team and former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani attends the Conference on Iran on May 5, 2018 in Washington, DC.