An appeals court decision that partially upheld sanctions resulting from a lawsuit alleging that Michigan's presidential election results were rigged is still in effect by the justices.
Trump-allied attorneys filed appeals with the Supreme Court on Tuesday, but they were denied. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ June 2023 decision, which partially upheld the sanctions, was left in place by the court's rejection of the appeals.
Sidney Powell and Lin Wood, two well-known supporters of President Donald Trump's efforts to expose the 2020 election fraud, were among the nine attorneys who initially faced punishment for bringing the lawsuit. The group was referred to as “the Kraken” by Powell.
Seven of them, including Powell and Wood, had their sanctions upheld by the appeals court.For any disciplinary actions, the attorneys were directed to their respective state bar associations and required to pay legal fees and complete new legal training.
The lawsuit claimed, among other things, that “hostile foreign governments” had gained access to voting machines and that there was a global conspiracy to swing votes in favor of Biden.
After the election was certified, attorneys ultimately decided to drop the lawsuit, but not before state officials and other defendants requested sanctions.
As part of their involvement in the 2020 election, Powell, Wood, and other Trump-affiliated attorneys have been the subject of additional investigations.
In Georgia, Powell admitted guilt as part of an investigation into election meddling. In the midst of numerous inquiries into his behavior, Wood has retired.
