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Donald Trump's ex-attorney Sidney Powell pleading guilty in the Georgia election interference case could be "devastating" for the former president, according to former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance.
Powell on Thursday pleaded guilty to reduced charges in the Atlanta-area investigation into Trump's alleged attempts to thwart the 2020 election results in Georgia, where he narrowly lost to President Joe Biden. Powell served as Trump's lawyer and frequently repeated unfounded claims the election was stolen via widespread voter fraud, famously pledging to "release the Kraken" with a series of unsuccessful lawsuits challenging the election results.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis investigated Trump's infamous phone call with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in which he asked him to "find" enough votes to tilt the election in his favor, as well as an alleged plot to submit a false slate of pro-Trump electors to the Electoral College. Trump maintains his innocence, accusing Willis of targeting him for political purposes.
Powell was among the 18 co-defendants charged alongside Trump for violating Georgia's racketeering laws in Willis' investigation. She will be required to serve six years of probation and pay $2,700, the Associated Press reported.
She will also have to testify truthfully against her co-defendants—including Trump—as part of the plea deal.
"News now that Powell will plead guilty in Georgia. If she is cooperating, that could prove devastating for Trump," Vance, a former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, wrote in a post to X, formerly Twitter, about the former president who facing several criminal investigations as he remains the frontrunner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary.
Vance added that the plea deal signals prosecutors see "high value" in Powell's testimony, which should make Trump "nervous" as he prepares his defense.
Newsweek reached out to Trump's campaign for comment via email.
Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Newsweek on Tuesday that Powell's plea deal is good for Willis because anyone able to share what Trump said, as well as what lawyers told him, could provide key knowledge in the case.
"This is a case about knowledge and intent. Trump's knowledge that he lost the election and his intent to overturn the results anyways," Rahmani said.
He noted that while Powell's testimony is helpful, other co-defendants, such as Rudy Giuliani, may be more beneficial, as they were closer to the former president at the time.
Powell's testimony, however, could also add pressure on other co-defendants to accept plea deals to avoid time in prison, Rahmani said, describing the deal as "a very good plea offer."
Bail bondsman Scott Hall has also pleaded guilty to several misdemeanors in the case. The conditions of his deal also included a requirement to testify against other co-defendants.
Other legal experts also reacted to news of Powell's guilty plea.
"Sidney Powell PLEADS GUILTY! This represents not just a minor crack in the dam. This is a full breach - the entire dam is crumbling and washing down into a river of accountability. May it all empty into the ocean of justice our nation needs & deserves," former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner wrote on X.
About the writer
Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. ... Read more