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A Nov. 19, 2020, photo shows Sidney Powell speaking during a press conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C.MANDEL NGAN/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Sidney Powell, a prominent attorney closely associated with former President Donald Trump's alleged endeavors to challenge the results of the 2020 election, has entered a guilty plea for six misdemeanor counts following an arrangement with Fulton County, Georgia prosecutors.
Powell made her appearance at the Superior Court of Fulton County in Atlanta, where the terms of the plea deal were outlined. In exchange for her guilty plea, Powell received a sentence of six years of probation and was mandated to pay a $6,000 fine along with $2,700 in restitution to the state of Georgia. The presiding judge endorsed this agreement during the hearing.
Under the plea agreement, Powell is also obligated to testify truthfully against any co-defendants involved in the case. Notably, Powell was one of several conservative attorneys who promoted unsubstantiated claims of widespread election fraud in the 2020 election, advancing far-fetched theories involving foreign interference and ballot manipulation in an attempt to overturn the election results. She was involved in a contentious White House meeting in December 2020 where White House lawyers confronted her and Rudy Giuliani, another lawyer, regarding these election-related assertions.
In August, Powell, Trump, and 18 others were indicted by a grand jury in Fulton County. Powell initially faced seven charges and had entered a not guilty plea. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the charges detailed in the original indictment.
Powell's guilty plea comes shortly before her co-defendant, Kenneth Chesebro, was set to go to trial. Chesebro, who has pleaded not guilty, will proceed with jury selection for his trial as scheduled.
The guilty plea pertains to Powell's involvement in a conspiracy involving the acquisition of election data from Coffee County, Georgia. The purpose of this conspiracy was to unlawfully access secure election machines, tamper with electronic ballot markers and tabulating machines, and remove voting data from election systems. As part of the conspiracy, Powell had entered into an agreement with SullivanStrickler, a data company, to obtain the data.
Powell is additionally prohibited from communicating with co-defendants, witnesses, and the media until the case against all defendants is completely closed. She is required to provide documents to prosecutors and compose an apology letter to Georgia citizens as part of the agreement.
The implications of Powell's guilty plea may extend to her involvement in the federal case against Trump in Washington, D.C., led by special counsel Jack Smith. Her plea could potentially make her a crucial witness in this case. In the federal indictment against Trump, Powell was identified as the likely unnamed "Co-conspirator 3." However, Powell has pleaded not guilty, and Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in all four ongoing prosecutions against him, asserting that they are politically motivated.
Scott Fredericksen, a former federal prosecutor and independent counsel, has suggested that Powell's plea could be the most significant development in either of the investigations related to the aftermath of the 2020 election. Her willingness to cooperate could potentially provide crucial information regarding Trump's alleged plans to overturn the election.
