Dominion Voting Systems announced Friday it sued pro-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell, claiming she damaged the company’s reputation in her election lawsuits where she claimed votes in several swing-states were manipulated in favor of President-elect Joseph R. Biden.
“Lies were told about government election officials, elections workers, and Dominion Voting Systems. Those lies have consequences. They have served to diminish the credibility of U.S. elections. They have subjected officials and Dominion employees to harassment and death threats. And they have severely damaged the reputation of our company,” said John Poulos, CEO of Dominion.
“Today is the first step to restore our good name and faith in elections by holding those responsible to account. We intend to pursue justice vigorously to its rightful end,” he added.
Ms. Powell argued in federal court filings in Georgia, Michigan and Arizona that the company had ties to software developed by the late Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez in order to “steal” elections.
Her lawsuit alleged the company’s machines could be connected to the internet in violation of election laws.
Dominion is suing Ms. Powell for defamation, which aims to hold individuals liable in court for intentionally spreading lies that cause damage to the reputation of another.
Thomas Clare, a partner at Clare Locke LLP representing Dominion, said even when confronted with recounts and evidence of no election wrongdoing, Ms. Powell continued to spread misinformation.
“When we put her on formal notice of the facts, told her Dominion employees were receiving death threats because of her false claims, and asked her to retract, she doubled down and continued with her media and fundraising campaign,” he said. “In my decades of practice as a defamation lawyer, I have never seen clearer and more convincing evidence of actual malice.”
L. Lin Wood, who is also a pro-Trump lawyer that’s worked with Ms. Powell is representing her.
He called the defamation lawsuit by Dominion a move “to censor speech or try to intimidate people from telling the truth.”
“I haven’t seen the lawsuit, but I don’t have any concerns about Dominion,” he told The Washington Post.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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