Giuliani distances Trump campaign from attorney Sidney Powell

The Trump campaign on Sunday sought to distance itself from attorney Sidney Powell after she made a series of increasingly convoluted and baseless allegations of widespread nationwide election fraud.

Powell, who also represents former national security adviser Michael Flynn, had appeared with campaign lawyers at press events as recently as last week.

In a brief statement released Sunday afternoon, President Trump’s lead attorney Rudy Giuliani and senior legal adviser Jenna Ellis said that Powell “is not a member of the Trump Legal Team.”

“She is also not a lawyer for the President in his personal capacity,” the former New York City mayor added. 

Powell appeared alongside Giuliani and other members of the campaign’s legal team at a number of press conferences over the past month — including one on Thursday — detailing the campaign’s so far unsuccessful efforts to halt or overturn the certification of election results in several key battleground states that were called by media outlets for President-elect Joe Biden.

Trump himself also referred to Powell as a member of his legal team in tweets as recently as Nov. 14.

I look forward to Mayor Giuliani spearheading the legal effort to defend OUR RIGHT to FREE and FAIR ELECTIONS! Rudy Giuliani, Joseph diGenova, Victoria Toensing, Sidney Powell, and Jenna Ellis, a truly great team, added to our other wonderful lawyers and representatives!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 15, 2020

A request for comment from the Trump campaign regarding when Powell’s relationship with the campaign ended or what prompted her exit was not immediately returned.