Trump campaign purges conspiracy-theorist Sidney Powell from legal team

• The Trump campaign has purged attorney Sidney Powell from its legal team.
• On Sunday, the campaign issued a statement asserting that Powell "is practicing law on her own."
• But just last week the campaign and the Republican Party were promoting a press conference where Powell, along with Rudy Giuliani, alleged a vast conspiracy to steal the 2020 election.

Just last week, President Trump's personal lawyer stood beside another attorney, Sidney Powell, as she baselessly alleged a far-reaching, international conspiracy to steal the 2020 election, one involving hacked voting machines and Venezuelan communists.

That dubious claim was then promoted on social media by the Republican Party.

—GOP (@GOP) November 19, 2020

By Sunday, however, the president's campaign team was backing away and claiming it had nothing to do with her.

"Sidney Powell is practicing law on her own," read a statement attributed to Jenna Ellis, a legal advisor to President Trump, and Rudy Giuliani, the president's personal attorney who cosigned Powell's allegations at last Thursday's fact-challenged press conference.

"She is not a member of the Trump Legal Team," the statement continued. "She is also not a lawyer for the President in his personal capacity."

It is not clear what led to the weekend purge, which comes on the heels of a federal judge throwing out the president's latest challenge to the results in Pennsylvania.

In an ambiguous statement to CBS News, Powell said "I understand today's press release" but that she would continue to represent "#WeThePeople."

"The chips will fall where they may," she said, "and we will defend the foundations of this great republic."

The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Have a news tip? Email this reporter: cdavis@insider.com