Current:Home > Contact-usArizona GOP election official files defamation suit against Kari Lake-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Arizona GOP election official files defamation suit against Kari Lake
View Date:2024-12-23 22:10:52
A top Republican election official in Arizona filed a defamation lawsuit Thursday against Kari Lake, who falsely claims she lost the 2022 race for governor because of fraud.
Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer said he's faced "violent vitriol and other dire consequences" because of lies spread by Lake, including death threats and the loss of friendships.
"Rather than accept political defeat, rather than get a new job, she has sought to undermine confidence in our elections and has mobilized millions of her followers against me," Richer wrote in an op-ed in The Arizona Republic.
Lake is a former Phoenix television news anchor who quickly built an enthusiastic political following as a loyal supporter of former President Donald Trump and his lie that the 2020 election was stolen from him. She went on to narrowly lose her own race for Arizona governor last year along with a lawsuit challenging the results.
- Kari Lake's last election loss claim dismissed by Arizona judge
Despite her losses in court, Lake continues to claim that Richer and other Maricopa County officials interfered in the election to prevent her from winning.
A spokesperson for Lake did not immediately respond to a request for comment. She is openly considering a run for U.S. Senate and is a leading contender to be Trump's running mate in his 2024 presidential campaign.
The suit, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, names Lake, her campaign and her political fundraising group as defendants. In addition to unspecified monetary damages, Richer is seeking a court order declaring Lake's statements false and requiring her to delete them from social media.
U.S. Supreme Court precedent sets a high bar for defamation cases brought by public officials like Richer. But Dominion Voting Systems' lawsuit against Fox News Channel over false claims about its vote-counting equipment resulted in damaging disclosures of internal Fox messages and a $787.5 million settlement.
Richer's lawyers wrote in their complaint that Lake has the right to criticize Richer but not to spread lies that bring him harm.
The suit takes issue with two claims in particular — that Richer intentionally had 19-inch ballot images printed on 20-inch paper, causing counting problems, and that he injected 300,000 bogus ballots. It details nearly three dozen times she made the claims publicly on social media or at rallies and news conferences.
The suit says Richer has faced death threats, including one that was prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice, and has spent thousands of dollars on home security. He said he and his wife have altered their routines and law enforcement has stepped up patrols around their home and workplaces.
"She has gone far outside of the bounds of protected free speech as guaranteed under the First Amendment and the Arizona Constitution," Richer wrote in The Republic.
- In:
- Kari Lake
veryGood! (3485)
Related
- Jack Del Rio leaving Wisconsin’s staff after arrest on charge of operating vehicle while intoxicated
- Louisiana man kills himself and his 1-year-old daughter after a pursuit
- What Republicans are saying about Matt Gaetz’s nomination for attorney general
- Nelly will not face charges after St. Louis casino arrest for drug possession
- Suicides in the US military increased in 2023, continuing a long-term trend
- Satire publication The Onion acquires Alex Jones' Infowars at auction
- Mean Girls’ Lacey Chabert Details “Full Circle” Reunion With Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Seyfried
- Tennessee suspect in dozens of rapes is convicted of producing images of child sex abuse
- Brianna LaPaglia Reacts to Rumors Dave Portnoy Paid Her $10 Million for a Zach Bryan Tell-All
- Dramatic video shows Phoenix police rescue, pull man from car submerged in pool: Watch
Ranking
- Kyle Richards Shares an Amazing Bottega Dupe From Amazon Along With Her Favorite Fall Trends
- AI could help scale humanitarian responses. But it could also have big downsides
- Up to 20 human skulls found in man's discarded bags, home in New Mexico
- Will Aaron Rodgers retire? Jets QB tells reporters he plans to play in 2025
- UConn, Kansas State among five women's college basketball games to watch this weekend
- J.Crew Outlet Quietly Drops Their Black Friday Deals - Save Up to 70% off Everything, Styles Start at $12
- Halle Berry Rocks Sheer Dress She Wore to 2002 Oscars 22 Years Later
- Tropical Storm Sara threatens to bring flash floods and mudslides to Central America
Recommendation
-
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Red Velvet, Please
-
Mason Bates’ Met-bound opera ‘Kavalier & Clay’ based on Michael Chabon novel premieres in Indiana
-
Statue of the late US Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights icon, is unveiled in his native Alabama
-
Bridgerton's Luke Newton Details His Physical Transformation for Season 3's Leading Role
-
Massive dust storm reduces visibility, causes vehicle pileup on central California highway
-
Mike Tyson employs two trainers who 'work like a dream team' as Jake Paul fight nears
-
Mike Tyson employs two trainers who 'work like a dream team' as Jake Paul fight nears
-
Wisconsin agency issues first round of permits for Enbridge Line 5 reroute around reservation