Trump election lawyers sanctioned, ordered to pay lawsuit costs

(The Center Square) – U.S. District Court Judge Linda Parker on Wednesday sanctioned nine attorneys who filed a lawsuit challenging Michigan’s 2020 election and ordered them to pay city and state costs associated with the suit.

In a 110-page decision, Parker wrote the lawsuit “represents a historic and profound abuse of the judicial process.”

“It is one thing to take on the charge of vindicating rights associated with an allegedly fraudulent election,” Parker wrote. “It is another to take on the charge of deceiving a federal court and the American people into believing that rights were infringed, without regard to whether any laws or rights were in fact violated.”

Parker ordered a copy of the decision be sent to the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission and the appropriate disciplinary authority where each attorney is licensed for investigation and possible suspension or disbarment of Sidney Powell, L. Lin Wood, Emily Newman, Julia Haller, Brandon Johnson, Scott Hagerstrom, Howard Kleinhendler, Gregory Rohl, and Stefanie Lynn Junttila.

Parker ordered them to complete 12 hours of continuing legal education in pleading standards and election law within six months.

“Sanctions are required to deter the filing of future frivolous lawsuits designed primarily to spread the narrative that our election processes are rigged and our democratic institutions cannot be trusted,” Parker wrote.

Parker called the lawsuit fueled by dozens of affidavits “based on conjecture, speculation, and guesswork.” The suit questioned the bounds of free speech for attorneys licensed by the state.

“Individuals may have a right (within certain bounds) to disseminate allegations of fraud unsupported by law or fact in the public sphere,” Parker wrote. “But attorneys cannot exploit their privilege and access to the judicial process to do the same. And when an attorney has done so, sanctions are in order.”

The lawsuit, filed about nine months ago, asked Parker to direct the state’s presidential electors to vote for Donald Trump, despite his 154,000 vote loss to President Joe Biden.

But on Dec. 7, 2020, Parker rejected the suit, writing the lawsuit aimed to “ignore the will of millions of voters.”

The “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,” Parker wrote.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the ruling sent a clear message that “[T]hose who seek to overturn an American election and poison the well of American democracy will face consequences.”

“While the mob on January 6th physically assaulted our democracy, Sidney Powell and other lawyers continued to do so in our courts,” Whitmer said in a statement. “They launched dozens of lawsuits, exploiting the legal system to undermine a free and fair election. The courts rejected all of them.”

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