Try this Midtown split screen.
Donald J. Trump was seen in the lobby of the gilded Fifth Avenue tower that is named for the raven about love and campaign cash that has poured since his conviction in 34 felonies.
A few blocks away, in an Italian restaurant on East 56th Street, the former lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, had a party for his 80th birthday. There is little to celebrate. Mr. Giuliani’s horror at the law has ruined his life and finances.
When he left the party before celebrating that same birthday, he was notified of the indictment in the Arizona election meddling case. He is also indicted in Georgia over an attempt to overturn the 2020 election.
Mr. Giuliani has filed for bankruptcy and owes two Georgia women $148 million in judgments from defamation cases. He relied on 9/11 charities as one of his last financial lines. Mr. Trump has done little to help with the legal bill.
Earlier that day, the board that oversees lawyer discipline in Washington recommended that Mr. Giuliani be fired.
After 6:00 p.m., he got out of his Dodge Durango, assisted by a security detail, and went to the restaurant, Amata, a red sauce with white tables owned by the brother-in-law of Anthony Carbonetti, the former chief of staff of the Mayor at City Hall, who attended the party.
Mr. Giuliani’s lawyer, Barry Kamins, stood outside and discussed his beleaguered client’s mind: “He’s faced with a great challenge, and it’s amazing to me that under the pressure he’s been under, he’s been able to keep his sanity through it all.”
Mr. Giuliani is survived by many friends and associates. Most recently, John Catsimatidis, the Republican billionaire who owns radio station WABC, removed Mr. Giuliani from the airwaves after he refused to tell lies about the 2020 election. A public spat between the two old pals played out on the pages of The New York Post.
“I know that we have tried to get people to step up to him as a character reference, and many people are disappointed in us, and he has been disappointed in them as well,” Mr. Kamins.
Standing next to Mr. Kamins was Arthur Aidala, a lawyer specializing in representing tabloid criminals, wearing a Panama hat that evening. (“It keeps my bald head out of the sun,” he says.)
“Anyone who thinks that Mr. Giuliani is not playing on his legal acumen is seriously mistaken,” Mr. Aidala said. “He’s sharp as a tack. We also represented Mayor Giuliani in a case in Georgia.
Is there anyone at this shindig who isn’t a lawyer? “Servant,” Mr. Kamins said.
Mr. Aidala also happened to spend time in the Lower Manhattan courthouse where Mr. Trump was on trial. He represented Harvey Weinstein, who appeared on Wednesday for a procedural hearing. Like many at the birthday party, Mr. Aidala was not happy with Mr. Trump’s conviction about allegations related to hiding money paid to porn stars.
“I don’t think any other human being will be charged like President Trump in this case,” he said, “and it’s not because I’m a fan of President Trump’s politics. It’s because I’m a fan of the criminal justice system, and I have to prosecute the people who committed the real crimes against a real New Yorker.
Inside, meatballs and penne alla vodka were served to a crowd that included Mr. Giuliani’s son, Andrew; his daughter, Caroline; Bernard B. Kerik, the former New York City police commissioner under Mr. Giuliani, who once pleaded guilty to eight felony charges; and Rudy Washington, who served as deputy mayor under Mr. Giuliani. There are also several right-wing media personalities, including former Breitbart News editor Raheem Kassam and Miranda Devine, a New York Post columnist.
Mr. Giuliani’s security detail, Michael Ragusa, of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, stood sentinel at the door, with a large can of mace strapped to his feet and barred entry. Scott LoBaido, a Trump-loving artist from Staten Island who regularly steps outside to smoke a Marlboro Light, said he recently became “besties” with Mr. Giuliani.
“He’s one of those individuals who is constantly persecuted, and I know because I’ve always been persecuted for being a conservative artist, so I like to hang out with people like that.”
A van with “ULTRA MAGA” written on it was parked on the corner of the block. This belongs to a party guest who calls himself “Joe the Box.” He is the owner of what is known as America First warehouse, a Suffolk County depot for Trump-themed merchandise. A man walking past a restaurant stops when his dog tries to pee. He pulled on the dog’s leash and hurried forward.
Inside, a large flat screen on the table was brought to Mr. Giuliani’s desk, according to a recording that a guest later shared with The New York Times. Mr. Giuliani sat cross-legged and watched, eagerly, as the former president’s repeated message was played for all to see.
In the video, Mr. Trump stands with a crowd of what appear to be his supporters.
“He heard I was going to say happy birthday to you, and he said, ‘Can we stay? Because we love Rudy Giuliani!'”
The party guests inside the restaurant cheered. “You are a special person, and we love you, Rudy,” Mr. Trump continued. “Keep fighting. There is no one like you.”
Mr. Giuliani beamed. The video is playing again.
