The Ohio-based Porter Wright Morris & Arthur law firm that represented the Trump campaign withdrew from the case on November 13,[197] and Linda A. Kerns, a Republican attorney also representing the Trump campaign, asked the judge for permission to withdraw from the case on November 16.[a][198][75] Overall, the case saw three different sets of lawyers within a week.[199]
When the judge asked Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, on why the plaintiffs did not advance legal claims based on voter fraud, Giuliani replied that
"this is not a fraud case".[200] Giuliani had previously made public claims of "fraud", "absolute fraud" in the election.[201] Fellow Trump lawyer Linda Kerns also agreed that this lawsuit was not based on "allegations of fraud or misconduct".[134]