Former Trump Lawyer Sidney Powell Vindicated In Court
Sidney Powell, the Dallas attorney known for her staunch defense of former President Donald Trump’s claims of election fraud in 2020, just received welcome legal news.
Powell, 68, has been officially cleared of all professional misconduct charges by the Fifth District of Texas Court of Appeals. The panel, comprised of three Democratic judges, ruled unanimously that the allegations lodged by the State Bar of Texas held no substantial merit.
Powell is a former federal prosecutor and attorney who gained widespread attention for her involvement in high-profile legal cases and her role as a member of Trump’s legal team. She is particularly known for her assertions and legal challenges related to the 2020 United States presidential election, where she claimed that there was widespread electoral fraud.
“The Dallas Court of Appeals has affirmed the Texas state court’s dismissal of the Texas Bar’s case against Powell,” her team said in a statement. “After three years of litigation, the Court of Appeals held the Bar had no evidence Powell violated any disciplinary rule in filing four federal lawsuits in the aftermath of the 2020 election.”
BREAKING: Sidney Powell has been completely vindicated, as the Texas Bar found no evidence that she violated any ethical rules in filing four federal suits after the 2020 election. pic.twitter.com/jgysBChcoP
— The General (@GeneralMCNews) April 19, 2024
The Commission for Lawyer Discipline, a division of the State Bar of Texas, had accused Powell of violating several Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. These allegations stemmed from her vigorous legal efforts to challenge the election results, which she and many others claimed were tainted by widespread fraud.
In a definitive memorandum opinion issued on Wednesday, Justice Garcia on behalf of the court affirmed the trial court’s decision to grant Powell’s motions for summary judgment, effectively dismissing the case before it could go to trial. “Concluding the Bar’s arguments are without merit, we affirm the trial court’s judgment,” Justice Garcia wrote, shutting down claims that Powell had engaged in unethical behavior during her post-election legal activities.
“The Bar employed a ‘scattershot’ approach to the case, which left this court and the trial court ‘with the task of sorting through the argument to determine what issue ha[d] actually been raised,’” Justice Garcia added. “Having done so, the absence of competent summary judgment compels our conclusion that the Bar failed to meet its summary judgment burden.”
The court found specifically that there was no evidence to support the Commission’s accusations that Powell knowingly used false statements or fraudulent evidence in court.
Last year Powell admitted to six misdemeanor conspiracy charges as part of a plea deal related to her efforts to challenge the 2020 election results. The charges specifically involve conspiracy to intentionally interfere with election duties. Her plea agreement also requires her to cooperate with prosecutors in ongoing election interference cases, which may include testifying against co-defendants.
Originally, Powell faced more serious charges including racketeering and conspiracy to commit election fraud. However, these were reduced to misdemeanors under her plea deal. She was sentenced to six years of probation and had to also pay fines and restitution. Compared to others involved in the Capitol breach, her sentence was relatively lenient, possibly reflecting her cooperation with authorities and her involvement in the events under investigation. In addition to her criminal charges, Powell has also faced civil issues.
For Powell, the ruling offers a chance to continue her legal career, potentially focusing again on high-profile political and election-related cases.
🚨🚨BREAKING:
Sidney Powell: VINDICATED,
After three years of litigation, the Texas Court of Appeals finds Texas Bar has NO EVIDENCE Powell violated “any ethical rule in filing four federal suits after the overthrown of your government in 2020, pic.twitter.com/KvjWtn0z33
— 🇺🇸RealRobert🇺🇸 (@Real_RobN) April 19, 2024
