Lawyer who sought to overturn Donald Trump's 2020 loss retires after facing potential disbarment
An attorney who was facing potential disbarment over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election is retiring.
Multiple states have considered disciplining Lin Wood for promoting false claims that former President Donald Trump defeated President Joe Biden in the 2020 race for the White House. The attorney on Tuesday asked officials in Georgia to retire his law license as he faced “disciplinary proceedings pending against me.”
Following the 2020 presidential election, Wood filed legal challenges seeking to overturn Trump’s loss to Biden. Trump praised Wood for some of the moves, though his campaign also distanced itself from Wood’s efforts.
Wood in a letter to State Bar of Georgia officials confirmed that the request was permanent and that, “if granted Retired Status I am prohibited from practicing law in this State and in any other state or jurisdiction.”
The State Bar of Georgia listed Wood as “retired” Wednesday afternoon. In a court filing, the organization said it “believes that it has achieved the goals of disciplinary action, including protecting the public and the integrity of the judicial system and the legal profession,” following Wood’s retirement.
Politics Ex-Trump lawyer who led scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election could be disbarred
Wood on his Telegram account on Wednesday denied that he retired from the state bar organization for fear of being disbarred.
The lawyer sued the state bar last year, alleging that its request he seek a mental health evaluation violated his constitutional rights. A federal appeals court found that Wood did not show the request was made in bad faith.
Georgia officials held a disciplinary trial earlier this year, weighing whether to punish Wood.
Wood isn’t the only attorney who has been penalized over attempts to overturn the 2020 election. John Eastman faces 11 disciplinary charges in the State Bar Court of California, which has alleged he violated his duty to uphold the U.S. and California state constitutions in an effort to “usurp the will of the American people and overturn election results for the highest office in the land.”
Legal challenges to Trump’s loss failed in states across the country, and lawsuits did not prove claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
Contributing: Ella Lee, Paste BN; Associated Press