Trump lawyers withdraw on eve of key hearing in Pennsylvania election case

By Jan Wolfe and David Thomas

 

FILE PHOTO: Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump rally as a supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden celebrates outside the State Capitol building after news media declared Biden to be the winner of the 2020 U.S. presidential election, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S., November 7, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo

 

(Reuters) - Three more lawyers representing President Donald Trump's campaign have asked to withdraw from his lawsuit challenging the U.S. election results in Pennsylvania, shaking up his legal team on the eve of a major court hearing.

 

The lawyers - Linda Kerns, John Scott and Douglas Bryan Hughes - made the request in a court filing on Monday, adding that the campaign consented to their withdrawal.

 

In a brief order on Monday night, the judge hearing the case allowed Scott and Hughes to withdraw but not Kerns.

 

Harrisburg-based lawyer Marc Scaringi has joined the case and will be Trump's lead counsel. Scaringi and the three attorneys who sought to withdraw did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

 

Scaringi on Monday asked the judge to postpone a hearing scheduled for Tuesday, saying he and a law partner "need additional time to adequately prepare." The judge quickly denied the request.

 

Jenna Ellis, a legal adviser with the Trump campaign, said the change was routine.

 

"The president announced Saturday that he has asked Mayor Rudy Giuliani to lead the national legal team, along with local counsel. Our substitution of local counsel is consistent with routine managing of complex litigation," Ellis said in a statement.

 

The filing did not give a reason for the change, which came days after a prominent regional law firm, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur, also withdrew from the case.

 

In a court filing on Thursday, lawyers at Porter Wright said it had agreed that its clients - the campaign and two registered voters - "will be best served if Porter Wright withdraws."

 

Kerns said in a recent court filing that she has faced a torrent of harassing emails and phone messages due to her work for the Trump campaign.

 

A federal judge in Williamsport will hear arguments on Tuesday in the Trump campaign's lawsuit, filed on Nov. 9, which seeks to halt the state's top election official from certifying Joe Biden, a Democrat, as the winner.

 

The Trump campaign is filing lawsuits that are "borderline frivolous" and will not change the election's outcome even if successful, said Bruce Green, a professor of legal ethics at Fordham Law School.

 

"It's doomed to fail anyway. So, does it really make a difference if another lawyer comes in? I think in most people's view, these cases are not being filed with any expectation that they'll prevail," Green said.

 

(Reporting by Jan Wolfe and David Thomas; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Christopher Cushing)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-11-17

 

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6 minutes ago, webfact said:

The lawyers - Linda Kerns, John Scott and Douglas Bryan Hughes - made the request in a court filing on Monday, adding that the campaign consented to their withdrawal.

 

In a brief order on Monday night, the judge hearing the case allowed Scott and Hughes to withdraw but not Kerns.

Why has a judge ( must be a Republican ) gone against the campaign by forcing Kerns to stay with the ridiculous law suit , just don't show up Linda and site medical reasons .

It seems anyone with any sense is jumping off the ship as quickly as possible. How many lawyers now have withdrawn from Trump Cases? One presumes they are doing so to protect their careers, as lying to a judge or presenting spurious evidence doesn't go down well.

Probably not worth the embarrassment plus they know trump doesent pay his bills

Rats, sinking ships comes to mind.

Hope the lawyers all got a big fat retainer upfront( and get to keep it)  for their troubles and reputational damage 

24 minutes ago, webfact said:

"The president announced Saturday that he has asked Mayor Rudy Giuliani to lead the national legal team, along with local counsel.

Rudy leading the charge yet again after failures with the Hunter Biden's allegation and coming back empty from Ukraine. Will put this down to another impending 'nothing to see' hapless legal gig. 

26 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Rats, sinking ships comes to mind.

Hope the lawyers all got a big fat retainer upfront( and get to keep it)  for their troubles and reputational damage 

Any lawyer accepting Trump as a client is on a professional suicide mission.

The fact that Trump still uses Rudy 'loose canon' Giuliani is already testimony that serious law-firms consider him a liability.  And of course they are 100% correct > remember the dictum 'Everything Trump Touches Dies'.

A post with a social media video other than provided by a news agency has been removed, per forum rules.

 

1 hour ago, Eric Loh said:

Rudy leading the charge yet again after failures with the Hunter Biden's allegation and coming back empty from Ukraine. Will put this down to another impending 'nothing to see' hapless legal gig. 

Rudy is such a disaster.  I saw him on Fox talking with Maria Bartiromo and Rudy was claiming--yet again--that he had groundbreaking evidence of malfeasance but "couldn't disclose it yet."  Didn't we just go through this freak show with the Hunter Biden saga?  Even Maria was incredulous and was like "Rudy, you're running out of time.  Disclose it already if you have it!" 

 

[As President Trump’s team continues with its struggle to substantiate claims of widespread voter fraud, Rudy Giuliani, who Trump on Saturday put in charge of his efforts to challenge the outcome of the election, told Fox News he has mounting evidence that he is unable to show the public.]

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2020/11/15/rudy-giuliani-claims-he-has-proof-of-voter-fraud-but-says-he-cant-share-it-yet/?sh=3099e550235e

13 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Rudy is such a disaster.  I saw him on Fox talking with Maria Bartiromo and Rudy was claiming--yet again--that he had groundbreaking evidence of malfeasance but "couldn't disclose it yet."  Didn't we just go through this freak show with the Hunter Biden saga?  Even Maria was incredulous and was like "Rudy, you're running out of time.  Disclose it already if you have it!" 

 

[As President Trump’s team continues with its struggle to substantiate claims of widespread voter fraud, Rudy Giuliani, who Trump on Saturday put in charge of his efforts to challenge the outcome of the election, told Fox News he has mounting evidence that he is unable to show the public.]

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2020/11/15/rudy-giuliani-claims-he-has-proof-of-voter-fraud-but-says-he-cant-share-it-yet/?sh=3099e550235e

He cant even show the court.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The president announced Saturday that he has asked Mayor Rudy Giuliani to lead the national legal team, along with local counsel.

the majority of people are falling for it, Trump is an attention seeker, if they all ignore him/not pay attention to him things will fall in place, unfortunately many are jumping as soon as he sneezes, he creates controversies because he wants attention, don't give it to him as he doesn't deserve the time of the day

I read the new lawyer is a conservative radio talk show host. Scum of the earth.

Like Trumps lawyers a number of verbose contributors to this forum look like they to have left the sinking ship.

Trump supporters unfortunately appear to be  very simple lemmings that follow the leader over the cliff.

Trump's problem is that he doesn't understand the difference between a Reality Show and reality.

Come on rudy. All these cases being thrown out yet u say u have so much evidence.

 

Where is it.

 

Hell is shivering and u got nothing.

Edited November 17, 20205 yr by Sujo

1 minute ago, Sujo said:

Come on rudy. All these cases being thrown out yet u say u have so much evidence.

 

Where is it.

I'm guessing Rudy's "big scoop" is about Dominion.  He seems rather susceptible to crazy conspiracy theories.  But he doesn't seem to get that this one has already been debunked...by everybody.  This dude is in la la land. 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The filing did not give a reason for the change, which came days after a prominent regional law firm, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur, also withdrew from the case.

It is easy to figure out why they dropped out!  There was no fraud!  I find it amazing that Trump can find lawyers who can fabricate a case.  Supporting lies in court has a price!

they are having trouble  with the rabbit in the hat / last seen at the white house 

Given Rudi’s new found career in movies, it’s surprising he’s got time for Trump and his meritless court filings.

Withdrew from the case for the simple reason...they realized there is no case. 

donalds gone tingtong

 

https://www.itv.com/news/2020-11-16/donald-trump-declares-i-won-the-presidential-tweet-that-threatens-chaos

 

Donald Trump declares 'I won': the Presidential tweet that threatens chaos

•  

the show goes on .welcome back donald .we missed you

Monday 16 November 2020, 2:18pm

Ultimately it won't matter one bit who represents Trump - those court cases are quickly going nowhere.

 

And what better way to sink the ship than to put the equally delusional Rudy Giuliani in charge?

 

Trump's court filings have been a travesty that even Republican-appointed judges can't tolerate. 

In Hawaii his attorneys argued voter fraud in Pennsylvania. Judge replies they're in the wrong state. Case closed.

In another battleground Northern state Trump's attorneys argue voter fraud in two counties - that Trump had already won. Case closed.

His attorneys have not documented a single case where a dead person was alleged to have voted. In one such case the person who voted was the wife of her deceased husband using her married name and gas done so for years. In another case the alleged dead person was alive and well. Cases closed.

In other court filings Trump's attorneys admit they have no proof of fraud or voter ballot suppression. Cases closed.

 

20 hours ago, Sujo said:

Come on rudy. All these cases being thrown out yet u say u have so much evidence.

 

Where is it.

 

Hell is shivering and u got nothing.

lock him up... the guy is a disgrace, he & Trump don't know when to quit