Is President Trump looking to appoint Sidney Powell as a special counsel to investigate voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election?
Published reports indicate the commander in chief floated Powell’s name to probe the allegations during a Friday meeting at the White House.
The Associated Press says Trump “went as far as discussing getting Powell security clearance, according to two people familiar with the meeting, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private conversation.”
The AP also noted, “It is unclear whether Trump intends to try to move forward with the effort to install Powell.” It’s actually the U.S. attorney general who is responsible for appointing special counsels.
A senior campaign official told CBS News they personally like Powell’s “hardcore nationalism,” but said that is a minority opinion within the campaign. The person added that “establishment types” within the campaign are increasingly wary of Powell’s influence on the president and his agenda.
The New York Times reported the Friday meeting also featured a discussion of an idea suggested by Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani to have the U.S. Department of Homeland Security seize and examine voting machines the president has said may have been tampered with.
But DHS made clear it had no authority to do so, according to AP.
As WND reported a week ago, Powell made headlines by raising the option for Trump to invoke his 2018 executive order concerning foreign interference in U.S. elections.
The order, signed by Trump on Sept. 12, 2018, states “not later than 45 days after the conclusion of a United States election, the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with the heads of any other appropriate executive departments and agencies (agencies), shall conduct an assessment of any information indicating that a foreign government, or any person acting as an agent of or on behalf of a foreign government, has acted with the intent or purpose of interfering in that election.”
Powell told the Epoch Times the evidence of foreign interference is “more than sufficient to trigger” the order, providing the president “all kinds of power … to do everything from seize assets to freeze things, demand the impoundment of the [voting] machines.”
“Under the emergency powers, he could even appoint a special prosecutor to look into this, which is exactly what needs to happen,” Powell continued.
“Every machine, every voting machine in the country should be impounded right now. There’s frankly more than enough criminal probable cause to justify that, for anybody who’s willing to address the law and the facts purely on the basis of truth and not politics, or corporate greed, or global wealth.”
On Thursday, Powell said her emergency petitions for Georgia and Michigan election-fraud cases are on the U.S. Supreme Court docket.
She said, however, on Twitter, that the high court is “slow-walking” the cases by not requiring a response from the states until Jan. 14.
She also noted Thursday her emergency petitions for Arizona and Wisconsin cases were “inexplicably rejected” after copies of documents were hand-delivered and all fees were paid.
Powell said the Supreme Court clerk refused to give a reason and will not return phone calls.
“What is going on?” she asked. “Unprecedented lack of professionalism.”
On Saturday, Trump tweeted the possibility of hack on American election systems.
“There could also have been a hit on our ridiculous voting machines during the election, which is now obvious that I won big, making it an even more corrupted embarrassment for the USA,” Trump wrote.
Some, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn, have suggested the president impose martial law and deploy the military for a second presidential vote.
Early Sunday morning, Trump dismissed that option on Twitter, saying, “Martial law = Fake News. Just more knowingly bad reporting!”
Martial law = Fake News. Just more knowingly bad reporting!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2020
He also on Sunday tweeted in all capital letters: “GREATEST ELECTION FRAUD IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY!!!”
GREATEST ELECTION FRAUD IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2020
Despite Powell having appeares with Trump’s campaign lawyers at news conferences, the Trump campaign suddenly distanced itself in late November from the high-profile attorney.
In a statement from Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani and Trump legal adviser Jenna Ellis, the team said: “Sidney Powell is practicing law on her own. She is not a member of the Trump Legal Team. She is also not a lawyer for the President in his personal capacity.”
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) November 22, 2020
Via Wnd