# Is Sidney Powell insane? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 22, 2020, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169 "2020-11-22T04:25:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 23
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2021, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/443 "2021-07-12T17:42:57Z")
The question is not whether they will be sanctioned, the question is how few will not be. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/444 "2021-07-13T01:47:56Z")
I so hope Lin Wood is found to be in contempt of court. Apparently, he recorded and broadcast some of the hearing held by Judge Parker today, after Parker had been explicit that no recording, video or audio, be made or shared by anyone concerned [https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/lin-wood-deletes-telegram-post-that-may-have-violated-court-order](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/lin-wood-deletes-telegram-post-that-may-have-violated-court-order) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/445 "2021-07-13T02:08:27Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > I so hope Lin Wood is found to be in contempt of court. > > Apparently, he recorded and broadcast some of the hearing held by Judge Parker today, after Parker had been explicit that no recording, video or audio, be made or shared by anyone concerned - Is it perpetual Opposite Day with these clowns? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/446 "2021-07-13T02:29:20Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > I so hope Lin Wood is found to be in contempt of court. I believe he will cite the “you’re not the boss of me” precedent. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/447 "2021-07-13T03:17:33Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > I so hope Lin Wood is found to be in contempt of court. > > Apparently, he recorded and broadcast some of the hearing held by Judge Parker today, after Parker had been explicit that no recording, video or audio, be made or shared by anyone concerned I think his story is that he merely re-posted a recording that was already on Telegram, which was recorded by someone else. Still, an incredibly stupid action. You really don’t want to piss-off Federal Judges. I suspect he did it to gin-up some more support from his followers, to show how badly he is being treated. Hell, the judge wouldn’t even allow him to defend himself. I suspect Mr. Wood felt he had nothing to lose. At least, he is likely to gain more from the publicity than what the contempt charges will be. Whether it will be enough to cover the inevitable sanctions, we’ll have to see. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2021, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/448 "2021-07-13T17:33:25Z")
When the _court reporter_ asks the counsel and witnesses to stop interrupting one another, you know it’s serious. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/449 "2021-07-14T15:55:23Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > When the _court reporter_ asks the counsel and witnesses to stop interrupting one another, you know it’s serious . Actually, that’s not uncommon. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/450 "2021-07-14T16:24:22Z")
True. The court reporter that my office used to contract for family-law special settings (the court does not provide, unless it’s a restraining order) used to complain to me about certain attorneys talking over one another. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2021, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/451 "2021-07-14T16:39:02Z")
I did wonder how they dealt with that in their transcripts. It must be a real challenge. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2021, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/452 "2021-07-15T04:53:43Z")
Proofreader for court reporters here. They are amazingly good at handling cross talk, mumbling, um stutterers, jet speed speakers, and other such horrors but they’re only (semi-super)human and will interrupt when it becomes impossible to do their job. A lot of depositions and court proceedings are being done via Zoom, which adds a fresh layer of difficulty. ---
**Author:** ![ctnguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@ctnguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ctnguy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2021, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/453 "2021-07-15T12:12:48Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > Apparently, he recorded and broadcast some of the hearing held by Judge Parker today, after Parker had been explicit that no recording, video or audio, be made or shared by anyone concerned Question: it seems the hearing was live-streamed on YouTube for the public to watch. What then would be the legal rationale for forbidding recordings? Why is it OK for the public to watch it live but not OK later? ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2021, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/454 "2021-07-15T12:22:46Z")
My theory is that the judge didn’t want the participants, especially Wood and Powell, acting out in order to manufacture video clips for social media, which they would then misrepresent and share widely. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/455 "2021-08-12T03:25:41Z")
The judge in the Dominion case threw out the motion to dismiss. He threw it out hard. Everything. Dominion can sue their grifting asses off. In DC with the most liberal juries of them all, no change of venue. Dominion has grounds to sue for deceptive trade practices as well as defamation. On the question of actual malice, which, IIRC, some people thought would be a high bar to clear……well, Dominion in cleared it. In the words of Judge Carl Nichols “This wasn’t a close call.” The judge had lots of other words, too. This sentence from this Politico article sums it up quite well. _The three defendants arguments found little resonance with Nichols, a Trump appointee that seemed disdainful of their conduct._ > **[Judge refuses to toss out Dominion defamation suits against Powell, Giuliani...](https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/11/judge-dominion-defamation-suits-powell-504000)** > > The ruling from the Trump appointee is likely to force depositions by the three allies of the former president. He was pretty disdainful……on the various motions to change venue away from DC, the judge noted that the defendants didn’t seem to have any problem making frequent trips to DC in order to overthrow the government ( OK, he didn’t actual say the words “overthrow the government”, but I’m pretty sure he was thinking it). He was disdainful about a lot of other stuff, too. Here’s a link to the actual opinion. It’s fun. [https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show\_public\_doc?2021cv0213-36](https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2021cv0213-36) ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/456 "2021-08-12T04:00:49Z")
Well, I mean, a pre-trial Motion to Dismiss is almost always a reach in any non-trivial case. The basic standard is, “suppose everything the Plaintiffs allege was true, they still have no chance of winning.” And then the actual pleadings in the motions were ludicrous on top of that. Powell’s motion argued that no reasonable person would have taken her allegedly defamatory statements as statements of fact, which was just beyond ridiculous. I don’t think any legal pundits outside of Trumpian orbit gave any credence to the possibility of the Motion to Dismiss being granted. But that just means the case will proceed, not that the verdict is a forgone conclusion. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/457 "2021-08-12T14:11:51Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > But that just means the case will proceed, not that the verdict is a forgone conclusion. Best case scenario is that the defendants will suffer substantial financial losses due to legal fees. For those familiar with these legal proceedings: if the court finds in favor of the defendants, does the plaintiff have to pay their legal fees? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/458 "2021-08-12T15:16:50Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > if the court finds in favor of the defendants, does the plaintiff have to pay their legal fees? Not necessarily. sometimes yes, sometimes no. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/459 "2021-08-12T15:18:47Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Not necessarily. sometimes yes, sometimes no. So it’s left to the discretion of the court/judge? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2021, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/460 "2021-08-12T15:19:51Z")
I think it varies by location and even by type of lawsuit, but there are often separate proceedings to determine court costs and how they are apportioned. ETA: IANECTBAL I am not even close to being a lawyer ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2021, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/461 "2021-08-25T23:34:12Z")
US District Judge in Michigan recommends suspension or disbarment for the “Kraken” team. [https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/read-judge-refers-kraken-lawyers-for-potential-disbarment-in-scathing-opinion-over-big-lie](https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/read-judge-refers-kraken-lawyers-for-potential-disbarment-in-scathing-opinion-over-big-lie) ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2021, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169/462 "2021-08-26T00:09:23Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > US District Judge in Michigan recommends suspension or disbarment for the “Kraken” team. So that’s what “Release The Kraken” meant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169.md?page=22) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sidney-powell-insane/926169.md?page=24)