Sidney Powell, a lawyer who pushed unproven claims of 2020 election fraud on behalf of former President Donald Trump, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges Thursday, one day before her election-subversion trial was set to begin in Georgia.

Ms. Powell admitted to taking part in an attempt to tap into election machines in Coffee County, Georgia, after Joseph R. Biden won the state and captured the White House. The incident is included in a sprawling indictment from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, a Democrat, against Mr. Trump and his associates.

The lawyer pleaded guilty to six counts of conspiracy to commit intentional interference with performance of election duties.

The plea is a surprise development in the racketeering case against Mr. Trump, the 2024 GOP front-runner for president, because it includes an agreement for her to possibly testify at future trials.

As part of the plea deal, prosecutors demanded six years of probation, a $6,000 fine and restitution of $2,700 to the state of Georgia.
Court officials asked Ms. Powell if she understood the terms.

“I do,” she said.

At one point, Ms. Powell conferred with her lawyer after the court said she could not own firearms while on probation.

Judge Scott McAfee intervened to say the charge was a misdemeanor, so the plea “may” impact her ability to own a gun.

Ms. Powell was a key player in Mr. Trump’s efforts to reverse the official results of the 2020 election results in Georgia and other swing states.

The claims were not substantiated, and assertions about voting machines and possible foreign interference raised eyebrows and sparked scrutiny by prosecutors.

• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.