Attorneys for the city of Detroit on Wednesday ripped a federal lawsuit filed by conservative lawyer Sidney Powell that aims to overturn the statewide results of the presidential race.
Ms. Powell, a supporter of President Trump identified until recently as a member of his campaign’s legal team, filed the lawsuit last month in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Replying to a motion Ms. Powell filed seeking a “de-certification” of Michigan’s election results, lawyers for the state’s largest city said her claims are without merit and should be rejected.
“The allegations are little more than fevered rantings of conspiracy theorists built on the work of other conspiracy theorists,” lawyers David H. Fink and Darry Bressack wrote for Detroit.
“It is difficult to know whether Plaintiffs and their counsel actually believe any of the ridiculous claims they allege or whether this entire lawsuit is designed solely as a fundraising exercise, a talking point, something they can use to bolster their imaginary claims of widespread voter fraud,” the lawyers added. “But, the fact that the Complaint is frivolous, does not mean that this lawsuit is not dangerous to our democracy. Plaintiffs seek nothing less than a court-ordered coup d’état.”
Preliminary election results found Mr. Trump was defeated in Michigan, among other states, by Democratic challenger Joseph R. Biden. Ms. Powell alleges the race was rigged and that Mr. Trump won.
Mr. Trump’s reelection campaign is also pursuing legal opportunities to secure a second term in the White House despite his projected loss to Mr. Biden, which most nationwide polls had predicted.
Ms. Powell was previously described as a member of the Trump campaign’s legal team and spoke alongside them last month. The president’s lawyers have since distanced themselves from her, however.
In addition to suing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and her secretary of state in Michigan, Ms. Powell is pursuing similar litigation in federal courts in the states of Wisconsin and Georgia.
Attorney General William P. Barr said Tuesday that the Department of Justice has found no evidence of fraud that would have altered the election, The Associated Press reported.
Mr. Biden won Michigan by 154,000 votes and the results of the race have been certified, Detroit’s lawyers noted in their filing Wednesday. He is set to succeed Mr. Trump as president on Jan. 20.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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