Guest
2020-12-07, 02:08 PM
'The people have spoken': Federal judge rejects ex-Trump attorney Sidney Powell's Michigan election lawsuit
Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press
Mon, December 7, 2020, 10:26 AM EST
A Michigan federal judge has ruled against a sweeping legal bid to overturn election results in the state, determining the lawsuit brought by an ally of President Donald Trump was riddled with "theories, conjecture and speculation" but little evidence of wrongdoing.
U.S. District Judge Linda V. Parker ruled against a request from Sidney Powell – an attorney disavowed by the Trump campaign who still champions its causes – to force the state to award its electoral votes to Trump despite President-elect Joe Biden winning Michigan by nearly 155,000 votes.
"In fact, this lawsuit seems to be less about achieving the relief Plaintiffs seek – as much of that relief is beyond the power of this Court – and more about the impact of their allegations on People’s faith in the democratic process and their trust in our government," reads a portion of the 36-page opinion.
"Plaintiffs ask this Court to ignore the orderly statutory scheme established to challenge elections and to ignore the will of millions of voters. This the Court cannot, and will not, do. The people have spoken."
This is the latest in a series of legal flops from the Trump campaign or supporters. Judges throughout Michigan and the U.S have rejected their claims, noting there is no evidence of widespread fraud.
In this specific case, Powell and her team relied on a series of allegations that in large part focused on Detroit. Some of those allegations mirror ones made during a recent legislative hearing, where Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani questioned his own witnesses as lawmakers watched.
Among the series of debunked or discredited theories in the lawsuit is one that ballot tabulating software crafted by confederates of deceased Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez helped further a massive international conspiracy against Trump, carried out in Michigan and other swing states in order to secure Biden's victory.
The lawsuit's allegations did not warrant intervention by the court, Parker said.
"The closest plaintiffs get to alleging that election machines and software changed votes for President Trump to Vice President Biden in Wayne County is an amalgamation of theories, conjecture and speculation that such alterations were possible," the ruling states.
Gregory Rohl, a Michigan attorney working with Powell, said he needed to meet with his team before they would rule out an appeal.
On Dec. 14, the 16 Michigan delegates to the Electoral College will meet and cast their votes for Biden. He assumes the presidency in January 2021.
Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press
Mon, December 7, 2020, 10:26 AM EST
A Michigan federal judge has ruled against a sweeping legal bid to overturn election results in the state, determining the lawsuit brought by an ally of President Donald Trump was riddled with "theories, conjecture and speculation" but little evidence of wrongdoing.
U.S. District Judge Linda V. Parker ruled against a request from Sidney Powell – an attorney disavowed by the Trump campaign who still champions its causes – to force the state to award its electoral votes to Trump despite President-elect Joe Biden winning Michigan by nearly 155,000 votes.
"In fact, this lawsuit seems to be less about achieving the relief Plaintiffs seek – as much of that relief is beyond the power of this Court – and more about the impact of their allegations on People’s faith in the democratic process and their trust in our government," reads a portion of the 36-page opinion.
"Plaintiffs ask this Court to ignore the orderly statutory scheme established to challenge elections and to ignore the will of millions of voters. This the Court cannot, and will not, do. The people have spoken."
This is the latest in a series of legal flops from the Trump campaign or supporters. Judges throughout Michigan and the U.S have rejected their claims, noting there is no evidence of widespread fraud.
In this specific case, Powell and her team relied on a series of allegations that in large part focused on Detroit. Some of those allegations mirror ones made during a recent legislative hearing, where Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani questioned his own witnesses as lawmakers watched.
Among the series of debunked or discredited theories in the lawsuit is one that ballot tabulating software crafted by confederates of deceased Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez helped further a massive international conspiracy against Trump, carried out in Michigan and other swing states in order to secure Biden's victory.
The lawsuit's allegations did not warrant intervention by the court, Parker said.
"The closest plaintiffs get to alleging that election machines and software changed votes for President Trump to Vice President Biden in Wayne County is an amalgamation of theories, conjecture and speculation that such alterations were possible," the ruling states.
Gregory Rohl, a Michigan attorney working with Powell, said he needed to meet with his team before they would rule out an appeal.
On Dec. 14, the 16 Michigan delegates to the Electoral College will meet and cast their votes for Biden. He assumes the presidency in January 2021.