The president of the New York State Bar Association pushed back Friday against a call from U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-California, that it should investigate and "probably disbar" former Mayor Rudy Giuliani over allegations made in a recently released whistleblower complaint.

Hank Greenberg, of Greenberg Traurig, said there was a "common misperception" that the NYSBA is responsible for investigation and enforcement of ethical violations by attorneys licensed in the state. That legal authority, Greenberg said, rests solely with grievance committees, which are appointed by the appellate divisions of the state Supreme Court.

"That said, we continue to work with New York's judicial branch regarding rules of ethics for lawyers and providing guidance to our members and the legal profession on meeting ethical standards," Greenberg said in a statement.

The remarks came in response to comments that Harris, a Democratic candidate for president, made Thursday night on MSNBC. Harris also said in the interview that Giuliani had been "incriminating himself" in a television appearance and that he "really ought to stop talking and get a lawyer."

An anonymous whistleblower complaint, released Thursday, said Giuliani has been a "central figure" in alleged efforts to have the Ukrainian government interfere in the 2020 U.S. election.

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