A U.S. federal judge imposed financial penalties and other sanctions Wednesday against nine lawyers with ties to former U.S. President Donald Trump after ruling that their lawsuit challenging 2020 election results in the state of Michigan was 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,” U.S. District Court judge Linda 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.”
The lawyers involved include Sidney Powell, Lin Wood, Emily Newman, Julia Haller, Brandon Johnson, Scott Hagerstrom, Howard Kleinhendler, Gregory Rohl and Stefanie Lynn Junttila. Newman was the chief of staff at the US Agency for Global Media, VOA's parent agency, under former USAGM CEO Michael Pack.
Parker ordered that the lawyers attend 12 hours of legal education and reimburse local officials in Michigan for the costs of defending the lawsuit.
The judge also said her ruling would be sent to every state bar and federal court where each lawyer practices for possible disciplinary action.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
