Who is Sidney Powell? The Dallas attorney included in Trump's new indictment
NORTH TEXAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) — Late Monday night, The Fulton County, Georgia district attorney unveiled a 41-count criminal indictment against 19 defendants for attempts to overturn the state's 2020 presidential election.
Former President Donald Trump and the other defendants are charged with violations of the Georgia RICO Act, among other counts, alleging a conspiracy "to unlawfully change the outcome of the election in favor of Trump" after refusing "to accept that Trump lost."
Among those charged is Sidney Powell, an attorney from Dallas, who worked her way into Trump's inner circle in the weeks after the election, becoming one of his most outspoken advocates.
Who is Sidney Powell?
According to her law firm's website, Powell specializes in arguing cases in federal appeals courts. Specifically, she handles cases in the Fifth Circuit, which is based in New Orleans but has jurisdiction over the federal courts in Texas.
In the past, Powell has represented clients including AT&T and Denton County. Her firm operates out of an office building on Turtle Creek Boulevard, just outside of Uptown Dallas.
Powell's connection to Trump
The first mention of Powell on Trump's Twitter (now X) account came in June of 2019. Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn hired her to represent him after pleading guilty for lying to federal investigators about his contact with Russian officials.
Powell had been an outspoken critic of the Muller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, which Trump also condemns.
Following the 2020 presidential election, Powell spoke out regarding false or disproven allegations about widespread voter fraud in multiple states.
She spoke at the infamous news conference where fellow Trump attorney (and now co-defendant) Rudy Giuliani's hair dye streaked down his face in sweat. At the event, she made the claim that Venezuela's deceased strongman ruler Hugo Chavez was among those responsible for rigging the election.
In the days after, the Trump campaign distanced itself from her, yet she still had access to Trump himself.
Powell also continued filing lawsuits attempting to overturn election results in swing states, including Georgia, promising to "release the kraken."
Those cases were all unsuccessful.
What is Powell charged with in Georgia?
Powell faces seven felony charges in the Fulton County indictment:
- Violation of the Georgia RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act
- Conspiracy to Commit Election Fraud (two counts)
- Conspiracy to Commit Computer Theft
- Conspiracy to Commit Computer Trespass
- Conspiracy to Commit Computer Invasion of Privacy
- Conspiracy to Defraud the State
Specifically, prosecutors say that Powell and others accessed sensitive voting equipment software and data in rural Coffee County, Georgia, to further the alleged conspiracy to overturn the presidential election results.
Has Powell faced any other consequences?
Dominion Voting Systems is suing Powell, Giuliani and businessman Mike Lindell for defamation over false claims made about the company's voting equipment in the aftermath of the 2020 election. As part of a motion to have the lawsuit dismissed, in March of 2021, Powell's attorneys argued that "no reasonable person" would conclude her statements about Dominion were factual.
Later that year, a federal judge cleared the way for the case to proceed. The case is still pending.
In 2022, the Texas State Bar's disciplinary committee filed a complaint against Powell alleging she committed professional misconduct in her lawsuits challenging the results of the 2020 election.
Earlier this year, a Texas judge dismissed the petition, saying the committee had not met its burden of proof.
