The attorneys attempted to defend their actions, saying they had presented more than 900 pages of evidence and turned to the courts to intervene in an election where their plaintiffs believed there was fraud. "Let the record reflect that no one made the inquiry," Parker said. Bomer said she believed some "workers were changing votes." Parker asked if any of the attorneys inquired if Bomer actually saw people change votes. The judge mentioned another affidavit from Articia Bomer who was also at TCF Center. It said "an election poll worker told her (Connarn) that he 'was being told to change the date on ballots.'" Parker described it as "layers of hearsay." One affidavit cited in the case was from Jessica Connarn, an attorney who was at the TCF Center, where Detroit's absentee ballots were counted. Parker forced the pro-Trump attorneys to provide more information on claims that were part of dozens of affidavits from individuals who purportedly saw wrongdoing in the election. "The conduct of plaintiffs’ counsel in knowingly asserting false and frivolous claims while seeking relief with massive implications for our democracy warrants the strongest possible disciplinary action," Detroit's legal team wrote in a January motion. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, Wayne County voter Robert Davis and the city of Detroit have all asked Parker to levy sanctions, including financial penalties, against the attorneys who represented the six Republicans. A report by the GOP-controlled state Senate, dozens of court rulings, bipartisan boards of canvassers and audits have reinforced the outcome. Nine lawyers, including national conservative figures Powell and Lin Wood of Georgia, have been involved in the attempt to reverse the election's result.Īll of the nine lawyers appeared in a video conference hearing Monday.ĭemocrat Joe Biden beat the GOP incumbent by 154,000 votes, or 3 percentage points, in Michigan. The hearing was the latest highlight in a seven-month legal fight that began the day before Thanksgiving when six Republicans filed a lawsuit in Michigan's Eastern District. If they are barred from practicing in Michigan's Eastern District, other jurisdictions with reciprocal policies would likely follow suit. "There’s a very real risk to them," said Mogill, past chairman of the State Bar of Michigan's ethics committee. For Powell and other lawyers involved in the case, the stakes are potentially high, said Kenneth Mogill, a Michigan attorney and legal ethics expert. ![]() ![]() Court rules allow for sanctions when attorneys submit frivolous claims or arguments without evidentiary support. Parker's decision on whether to sanction the attorneys is still likely weeks away. And that is what I am getting at," said Parker, an appointee of former President Barack Obama. “There is a responsibility, there is a duty that counsel has to ensure that when you’re submitting a sworn statement in support of your case … that you have reviewed it, that you have done some minimal due diligence. ![]() No court has ever given us that opportunity." We welcome an opportunity to actually prove our case. "We would file the same complaints again. "We have practiced law with the highest standards," Powell said. She said "the duty of lawyers" was to raise "difficult and even unpopular issues." Monday's hearing featured the rare occurrence of legal advocates being questioned about their moves to discredit a presidential election with possible penalties hanging over their heads.įacing potential financial sanctions, Powell refused to relent. District Judge Linda Parker labeled elements of the unsuccessful lawsuit to have Donald Trump named Michigan's winner "fantastical," "obviously questionable" and "layers of hearsay." Parker also said lawyers have a responsibility to investigate assertions they present. Sidney Powell, one of the most vocal figures in the push to overturn the 2020 election, stood by her efforts Monday during a contentious and unusual six-hour hearing in which a Detroit federal judge repeatedly poked holes in her team's claims.
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