CNN – The tables have turned for former President Donald Trump as two of his once loyal allies have now flipped against him. This surprising development could pose a serious threat to his ability to defend himself against criminal charges related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. These rapid developments are a significant boost for prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia, and in the federal case filed by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith. The pleas made by these former allies demonstrate that the Georgia case against Trump is strengthening. Despite Trump’s determination to fight until the end, these plea deals have forced his co-defendants to face a difficult choice: cooperate or face trial. It appears that the looming five-month trial, which could result in years of prison time, has motivated two prominent Trump co-defendants, Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro, to flip. Their decision to become key witnesses against Trump has shattered any illusion of invincibility that the former president or other co-defendants may have had. On Friday, Chesebro pleaded guilty to a felony conspiracy charge, admitting that he collaborated with Trump and other members of his inner circle to overturn the 2020 election by presenting fake Republican electors in multiple states Trump lost. Chesebro directly implicated Trump in a criminal conspiracy, establishing that the fake electors plot was illegal. Importantly, Chesebro admitted that the purpose of the conspiracy was to disrupt and delay the joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021, a crucial aspect of the federal charges against Trump. Chesebro also established that the fake electors plot was an attempt to violate the US Constitution and federal law by undermining the Electoral College proceedings, aligning with the allegations in Smith’s federal indictment against Trump. On Thursday, former Trump campaign lawyer Powell pleaded guilty to charges related to her involvement in a separate effort to interfere with the 2020 election by breaching Georgia voting systems. While Powell’s plea covers charges relating to the breach of election equipment in Coffee County, Georgia, it opens the door for potential testimony about her interactions with Trump and other co-defendants. For example, Powell could face questions about White House meetings where extreme measures to overturn the election results were considered, such as ordering the seizure of voting machines by the Pentagon. Chesebro has also agreed to cooperate fully with Fulton County investigators and testify against Trump and other defendants if called as a witness. While Trump is currently the only person charged in the federal case, both Chesebro and Powell are considered unindicted co-conspirators. Chesebro’s admission of conspiring with Trump in the fake elector plot featured prominently in the federal case adds weight to the upcoming trial in March. Trump’s lead counsel in the Georgia election subversion case, Steve Sadow, responded to Chesebro’s guilty plea by suggesting that it was likely motivated by the “looming threat of prison time.” He also noted that the prosecutors dropped the racketeering charge against all co-defendants who have taken plea deals, including the former president. However, just because former allies are now cooperating with prosecutors doesn’t necessarily mean that Trump is doomed. In the past, Trump’s ex-lawyer Michael Cohen cooperated with federal prosecutors, implicating Trump in an illegal campaign finance conspiracy, but the Justice Department did not charge Trump with that crime. Cohen has since cooperated with New York state investigators, and he is expected to testify against Trump in a civil business fraud trial. Sadow brushed off the potential threat of testimony from Chesebro and Powell in Trump’s eventual trial for the Georgia election subversion charges, stating that truthful testimony would favor the defense’s strategy. This story has been updated with additional information.
Donald Trump Faces Serious Legal Threat as Powell and Chesebro Secure Back-to-Back Plea Deals
