In a final blow to lawyers associated with former President Donald Trump, the Supreme Court has rejected their appeals, confirming the sanctions imposed by a lower court in a baseless lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results in Michigan. Sidney Powell, Lin Wood, and seven other lawyers, collectively known as “the Kraken,” sought to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory by alleging a massive conspiracy involving foreign interference, voting machines, and ballot fraud.
As reported by NBC News on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, the court declined to hear the cases without comment, leaving in place the sanctions imposed by a federal judge who had dismissed the lawsuit in December 2020. The judge had labeled it “a historic and profound abuse of the judicial process” and referred the lawyers to state bar associations for potential disciplinary action, ordering them to pay the legal fees of the defendants.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court’s decision in June 2023, describing the lawyers’ claims as “frivolous, unreasonable, and vexatious” and noting their “pattern of litigation abuse.” While sanctions were upheld against seven lawyers, including Powell and Wood, two who had withdrawn from the case before the judge’s ruling had their sanctions reversed.
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The lawyers petitioned the Supreme Court, arguing that they had a constitutional right to challenge the election results and that the sanctions violated their due process rights. They claimed to have evidence supporting their allegations, based on expert affidavits and witness statements.
However, the Supreme Court’s denial of their petitions on Tuesday marks the end of their legal saga, confirming the sanctions. The court order did not disclose how the justices voted or whether there were any dissents.
This decision is the latest setback for the Trump-affiliated lawyers, who also face defamation lawsuits from voting machine companies Dominion and Smartmatic seeking billions of dollars in damages. Powell pleaded guilty in Georgia in July 2023 to a misdemeanor charge of interfering with the election, while Wood retired from practicing law in August 2023 amid various investigations into his conduct and mental health.
The Supreme Court’s rejection underscores the legal consequences faced by those involved in the baseless election lawsuit, exposing them as abusers of the judicial system and promoters of falsehoods.
