Aiexpress – Donald Trump’s allies were slammed with two lawsuits on Tuesday for claiming the 2020 election was stolen due to widespread voter fraud and failing to return government records.
The Supreme Court has decided not to overturn the sanctions imposed on Sidney Powell and other lawyers aligned with Trump. These lawyers had filed a lawsuit that was deemed to lack merit, as it challenged the election results in Michigan. Meanwhile, Peter Navarro, an adviser to Trump, is facing the possibility of being held in contempt of court for failing to return presidential records to the National Archives.
Sidney Powell, a lawyer who played a significant role in supporting Trump’s endeavors to challenge the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, has recently reached a plea agreement with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in the Georgia election interference case. As a result of this agreement, Powell will not be sentenced to imprisonment and has committed to providing truthful testimony in forthcoming trials. This cooperation makes her an invaluable resource for prosecutors seeking insights into Trump and the other individuals involved in the alleged conspiracy.
Last year, a grand jury charged Trump himself with conspiracy to commit forgery, solicitation of violation of oath by a public official, and breaking Georgia’s anti-racketeering act. Trump has pleaded not guilty to these charges. The indictment also named 18 other co-conspirators, including Powell, Giuliani, and Eastman, who are prominent Trump allies.
In a recent development, a judge has made a ruling that Navarro, a close ally and advisor of Trump, will have to serve a four-month prison sentence. This decision comes despite Navarro’s ongoing appeals and stems from his conviction on charges of contempt of Congress. By defying a House committee subpoena, Navarro has become one of the few individuals in the United States to face jail time for such charges in the past half-century.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal by a group of lawyers with ties to Trump. These lawyers were facing financial and professional consequences in Michigan because of a lawsuit they filed in an attempt to overturn the state’s election results. They claimed that the 2020 election was stolen through fraudulent means.
Lawyers Powell and Lin Wood, along with five others, have been instructed by a district court to pay over $175,000 to cover the legal expenses incurred by the city of Detroit and the state in defending the lawsuit. In addition to these fees, Powell, Wood, and the other individuals have also been referred to the bar associations in their respective states for disciplinary proceedings.
The high court issued a one-line order on Tuesday, rejecting the appeals from the lawyers. As a result, the decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, which partially upheld the penalties, will remain in place.
In a bold move, federal judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly warned Navarro on Tuesday that she could face contempt of court charges for blatantly disregarding her order to return numerous presidential records to the National Archives.
Kollar-Kotelly, in her opinion order, has determined that some of the records being withheld by Navarro from the Department of Justice (DOJ) are, in fact, Presidential Records. Despite Navarro’s argument that these documents were personal and not required to be returned to the government.
In a six-page opinion, Kollar-Kotelly, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, stated that it is evident that the Defendant still holds Presidential records that have not been handed over to their rightful owner, the United States.
Navarro has been granted a deadline of March 21 by Kollar-Kotelly to examine 600 records. It is imperative for Navarro to ascertain whether there are any additional government files within this collection. Failure to comply may result in a potential contempt citation.
Furthermore, the judge expressed her intention to forward the issue to a magistrate judge in order to ensure that the government obtains the documents to which it is rightfully entitled.
The delay in Trump’s Georgia election interference case coincides with an ethics violation issue involving Willis and her alleged affair with Nathan Wade. Willis had appointed Wade as a special prosecutor to handle the interference case.
Judge Scott McAfee is anticipated to deliver a verdict on Willis in the upcoming weeks.
