Donald Trump’s former lawyer Sidney Powell agreed to a plea deal on Thursday, just days before the Fulton County trial stemming from alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election was set to begin.
The former president and 18 co-conspirators were indicted in August and charged with violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations, or RICO Act, among other crimes. Trump has maintained his innocence, calling the case a “travesty of justice.”
“The ridiculous and baseless indictment of me by the Biden administration’s weaponized Department of Injustice will go down as among the most horrific abuses of power in the history of our country,” he said during a speech following the indictment.
One day before jury selection, Powell accepted a plea deal that includes six years’ probation, a $6,000 fine, $2,700 restitution to the state of Georgia, an apology letter to Georgia residents, and to testify truthfully at trial, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Fulton County Sheriff’s Office/Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
While it’s unclear what Powell’s testimony will entail until she is put on the stand, prosecutors likely saw a value in Powell’s unique access to her co-conspirators, according to former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance.
“This is exactly what the Fulton County, DA hoped would happen: Scott Hall’s plea would lead them to Powell, whose own plea deal could lead them to…bigger fish without trial dates,” MSNBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin said on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.
Scott Hall, a Georgia bail bondsman whose brother-in-law was Trump’s deputy campaign manager in 2016, was the first to flip on the former president. He accepted a plea deal and cooperation agreement with prosecutors in exchange for the dismissal of some of the charges against him and a recommendation of a reduced sentence of five years probation.
This is a developing story and will be updated when more information is available.