Stalwart Allies of Former President Donald Trump Flip, Posing Grave Threat to His Defense Against Criminal Charges
In a shocking turn of events, two loyal allies of former President Donald Trump have flipped against him this week, potentially posing a grave threat to his ability to fend off criminal charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The rapid-fire developments are a massive boost for prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia, and the separate but overlapping federal case against Trump filed by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith.
The pleas of these two prominent Trump co-defendants, Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro, have strengthened the case against Trump. The impending five-month trial, which could result in a yearslong prison sentence, seems to have coerced Powell and Chesebro into flipping. Their decisions to become key witnesses against Trump have shattered any sense of invincibility that the former president or other charged individuals may have been feeling – perhaps for the first time.
Chesebro pleaded guilty to a felony conspiracy charge, admitting that he worked with Trump and other members of Trump’s inner circle to overturn the 2020 election by presenting fake Republican electors in multiple states. His guilty plea directly implicates Trump in a criminal conspiracy and establishes that the fake electors plot was illegal. The purpose of the plot, according to Chesebro, was to disrupt and delay the joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021, which aligns with the federal charges Trump is facing.
Powell, on the other hand, pleaded guilty to charges related to her efforts to interfere with the 2020 election by breaching Georgia voting systems. While her guilty plea only covers charges related to the breach in Coffee County, Georgia, her agreement with prosecutors allows for testimony about her first-hand interactions with Trump and other co-defendants. For example, she could face questions about White House meetings she attended where extreme steps to overturn the 2020 results, such as ordering the Pentagon to seize voting machines, were considered.
Both Powell and Chesebro have agreed to cooperate fully with Fulton County investigators and testify against Trump and other defendants if called as witnesses. While Trump is the only person charged thus far in the federal case, both Powell and Chesebro are unindicted co-conspirators. The dropping of the racketeering charge against all three defendants who have already taken plea deals highlights the potential impact of their cooperation on the case.
Trump’s lead counsel in the Georgia election subversion case, Steve Sadow, responded to Chesebro’s guilty plea by suggesting that it was motivated by the looming threat of prison time. However, Sadow downplayed the potential impact of Chesebro and Powell’s testimony at Trump’s trial, expressing confidence that their truthful testimony would be favorable to his defense strategy.
It is worth noting that while a onetime Trump loyalist’s decision to help prosecutors does not guarantee Trump’s downfall, it is a significant development. In the past, Trump’s ex-lawyer Michael Cohen struck a plea deal with federal prosecutors and implicated Trump in an illegal campaign finance conspiracy. However, the Justice Department never charged Trump with that alleged crime. Cohen’s cooperation with New York state investigators and his upcoming testimony against Trump in a civil business fraud trial there suggests that these flip-flopping allies could pose a serious threat to the former president.
As the case against Trump unfolds, additional information may come to light. This story will be updated accordingly.