By rejecting the appeals, the court left in place a June 2023 ruling by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that partially upheld the sanctions.

Prominent cheerleaders of former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the election including Sidney Powell and Lin Wood were among the nine lawyers who initially faced sanctions for filing the lawsuit. Powell called the group “the Kraken.”

The appeals court upheld sanctions against seven of them, including Powell and Wood.

The lawyers were ordered to pay legal fees, undertake new legal training and were referred to their respective state bar associations for any disciplinary procedures.

The lawsuit alleged among other things that there was an international conspiracy to swing votes to Biden, with “hostile foreign governments” gaining access to voting machines.

Lawyers ultimately withdrew the lawsuit after the election was certified, but not before defendants including state officials asked for sanctions.

Powell and Wood, as well as other Trump-affiliated lawyers have faced other investigations as part of their involvement in the 2020 election.

Powell pleaded guilty in Georgia as part of a probe into election interference. Wood has retired amid various investigations into his conduct.

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