Washington – Attorneys for Conservative attorney Sidney Powell told a federal court Monday that “no reasonable person” would conclude his unfounded allegations of fraud to voters in the 2020 presidential election, as they were statements of fact while fighting a lawsuit. $ 1.3 billion defamation of Dominion Voting Systems.
In a file filed in the federal district court of the District of Columbia, Powell argued that Dominion’s case against her should be dismissed because “it was clear to reasonable people” her statements were her own legal opinions and theories. . Members of the public, he said, were free to come to their own conclusions about whether Dominion chose the election against former President Donald Trump, as Powell has repeatedly stated.
“Determining whether a statement is protected involves a two-step investigation: Is it a true statement that can be proven true or false? And reasonable people would conclude that the statement is in fact, in light of its wording, context and circumstances that they surround his publication, ”his lawyers told the court. “Analyzed under these factors, and even assuming, arguing, that each of the allegations alleged in the complaint could be proven true or false, no reasonable person would conclude that the statements were in fact statements of fact.”
Powell further argued that his statements are constitutionally protected, in part because they were made in the context of a bitter political debate, and political statements are prone to exaggeration and hyperbole.
The 2020 presidential race, according to his lawyers, “was bitter and controversial” and Powell made her statements “as a lawyer advocate for her favorite candidate and in support of her legal and political positions.”
“These characterizations of the allegedly defamatory statements favor the defendants’ position that reasonable persons would not accept such statements as fact, but consider them only as claims awaiting trial by the courts through the contrary process, ”he argued, adding “the discourse in question here cannot be acted upon.”
In addition to asking the court to dismiss the case, Powell argued that the lawsuit should not be filed in the District of Columbia, but in the North District of Texas, as he resides in Dallas. If the court decides not to file the lawsuit, Powell asked him to move to Texas.
Dominion, which provides electronic voting machines and programs to governments and the United States and around the world, filed a defamation lawsuit against Powell in January and seeks $ 1.3 billion in damages. Powell spread conspiracy theories following the November election that Dominion was involved in a broad scheme to prepare for the presidential election, claims Mr. Trump amplified as he struggled unsuccessfully to secure a second term.
Dominion argued that Powell caused “unprecedented damage” to the company through his repeated accusations of bribing officials, collaborating against Mr. Trump and turning over votes for the former president to boost the President Biden. His employees, according to Dominion, were harassed and threatened as Powell’s accusations spread among far-right conspiracy theorists.
In addition to Powell, Dominion has filed defamation lawsuits against MyPillow founder and CEO Mike Lindell and Trump’s personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, who also spread unfounded allegations of election fraud and claimed that the company arranged the election.