Sidney Powell, a prominent member of Donald Trump’s legal team in 2020, pleaded guilty on Thursday to six misdemeanor counts on charges of attempting to tamper with election results and spread false election fraud claims in Georgia.

In a courtroom at the Fulton County Superior Court, Powell was sentenced to six years of probation, a less severe outcome than what she may have faced if found guilty of the seven felonies she was originally charged with, including a violation of the state racketeering law.

She has also agreed to testify against the other defendants, which include Trump and his former lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.

Powell is the first of Trump’s close advisers to turn on the former president in this ongoing criminal case, a victory that federal prosecutors have long been awaiting. She is the second to take a plea deal in the case, after Georgia bail bondsman Scott Hall pleaded guilty to five misdemeanors last month.

Powell was prosecuted under the Georgia First Offender Act, which offers people with no prior felonies the opportunity to keep the convictions off of their permanent record, so long as they comply with the terms of their sentence.

Powell is known for floating wild theories about election interference, so it is unclear how effective she would be as a prosecution witness.

The impact that the plea deal will have on Powell’s ability to practice law remains unknown.

Read more about:
avatar

Article by Ava Lombardi

Leave a comment

Subscribe to the uInterview newsletter