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Dominion Voting files $1.3B defamation suit against former Trump lawyer

The voting machine company says pro-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell has been part of a malicious campaign of lies.

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Voting machine maker Dominion Voting Systems on Friday filed a defamation lawsuit against Sidney Powell, a former Trump campaign lawyer who has repeatedly made unfounded claims that the company rigged the 2020 presidential election for President-elect Joe Biden by manipulating votes. 

"Powell's wild accusations are demonstrably false," reads the 124-page complaint filed in US District Court for the District of Columbia. "Acting in concert with allies and media outlets that were determined to promote a false preconceived narrative about the 2020 election, Powell launched a viral disinformation campaign about Dominion that reached millions of people and caused enormous harm to Dominion."

Dominion is seeking $1.3 billion in damages from Powell, who was cut from the president's legal team in November but has continued to consult with Trump.

In an emailed statement on Friday, Dominion CEO John Poulos said the lawsuit is the first step in restoring faith in his company and in elections, adding that "recent attacks on the democratic process" are the result of a "deliberate and malicious campaign of lies over many months." 

A representative for Powell couldn't immediately be reached for comment.