Kari Lake is facing a defamation lawsuit from Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, who claims that her statements about him sabotaging the election were not just rhetorical hyperbole but actionable assertions of fact.
The judge’s ruling paves the way for a trial, with Lake needing to prove her claims.
Richer’s lawsuit also alleges “actual malice,” a critical factor in defamation cases involving public figures. (Trending: Judge Announces Historic Ruling In Jeffrey Epstein Case)
The case involves two main claims: deliberate ballot printing issues and the injection of fraudulent early ballots.
“This is about taking away our First Amendment rights and interfering in the U.S. Senate race,” Lake said.
“This case should have been tossed out of court.”
“My family and I have faced endless and vile threats, including calls for our execution, and I’ve lost important personal relationships and seen my reputation severely damaged by defendants,” Richer said.
“Working as a public servant should not lead to death threats, harassment or defamation,” Richer added.
“No one is above the rule of law in this country.”
“Although separating related causes is always difficult, in my judgment, the primary cause of the Election Day failures was equipment failure,” retired Supreme Court chief justice Ruth McGregor wrote.
The judge rejected Lake’s attempt to have the lawsuit dismissed and stated that the issues raised by Richer are grounds for a defamation lawsuit.
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