‘Powel Was Not My Attorney!’ Rages Trump in Election Interference Case – But She Was

William FurneyNov 3, 2023

Minute Read

Donald Trump is not happy that one of his former attorneys has taken a plea deal in his Georgia election interference case, and has even claimed — falsely — she was never on his legal team.

‘Never Worked for Me’

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The former president — fighting a barrage of federal and civil trials that could see him jailed and heavily fined — railed on his Truth Social platform that lawyer Sidney Powell never worked for him.

Not Exactly Correct

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Trump raged: “Sidney Powell was one of millions and millions of people who thought, and in ever increasing numbers still think, correctly, that the 2020 Presidential Election was RIGGED & STOLLEN, AND OUR COUNTRY IS BEING ABSOLUTELY DESTROYED BECAUSE OF IT!!!”

He added: “MS. POWELL WAS NOT MY ATTORNEY, AND NEVER WAS. In fact, she would have been conflicted.” It was a false claim.

On the Record

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Following his defeat in the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden, Trump beefed up his legal team to challenge the result. Days after the vote, in November 2020, Trump tweeted that he had added Powell to his team.

Contradictory Tweet

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Trump had tweeted, after his 2020 election loss: “I look forward to Mayor Giuliani spearheading the legal effort to defend OUR RIGHT to FREE and FAIR ELECTIONS! Rudy Giuliani, Joseph diGenova, Victoria Toensing, Sidney Powell, and Jenna Ellis, a truly great team, added to our other wonderful lawyers and representatives!”

Oval Office Meeting

Then-president Trump met with Powell at the Oval Office in December 2020 and said he was considering appointing her as special counsel to investigate voter fraud, The New York Times reported. CNN cameras spotted Powell leaving the White House later that day.

Powell Guilty Plea

Powell, a former federal prosecutor, pleaded guilty to attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. She is one of a number of former Trump lawyers to have accepted a plea deal in return for escaping a prison sentence.

‘No Agreement with Trump’

Although Trump had publicly said Powell was on his legal team, the two didn’t have an “engagement agreement” and so, formally, she “did not represent President Trump or the Trump campaign.” Legal analysts say it was a move to distance herself from the former president in the hope of getting off lightly in the Georgia trial.

Trump’s Own Charges

Trump is criminally charged with trying to interfere with the election system in Georgia, and is also fighting a federal indictment that alleges he attempted to overturn the 2020 election results, thereby depriving Americans of their democratic right to vote. He is additionally charged with working to block the transfer of power to Biden.

Other Indictments

Two more indictments charge that Trump mishandled top-secret government documents and shared them with others, potentially risking US national security, and fraud relating to his Trump Organization property firm.

‘Democrats’ Work’

Trump has pleaded not guilty in the Georgia case and to the other charges against him, arguing that they’re the work of Democrats trying to stop him from getting back to the White House. Trump is running for president in the 2024 election and is the leading Republican candidate to be nominated for the race.

‘All-Time High’

Trump’s many legal headaches have not dented support among the Republican faithful however, most likely due to his portrayal of his indictments as “persecution” by the Democrats, say political observers. It has led to what Trump’s campaign has described as an “all-time” high in polling around the country.

Trump the Untouchable

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Trump is so far ahead in the polls that none of his GOP rivals, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, have much hope of catching up. The former president is polling nationally at almost 60 percent compared to under 13 percent for DeSantis and just over 7 percent for former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley. Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey governor Chris Christie are also longshots for the presidency, with just over 5 percent and 3 percent of voter preferences each.

Facing Biden in Race?

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If Trump is crowned the Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election, he will likely face off against President Biden, who is the leading candidate for the Democratic Party nomination. Primaries take place early next year although there are concerns about Biden and Trump’s ages — 80 and 77, respectively — and their ability to do what’s considered one of the most challenging jobs in the world.