Saturday, December 7

Kari Lake and Arizona county election official reach settlement in defamation case

A

defamation case

against Kari Lake brought by Maricopa County, Arizona, Recorder Stephen Richer has been settled, representatives for both parties confirmed Sunday to NBC News.

Richer, a Republican,

filed a claim

in June 2023 saying Lake falsely accused him of “intentionally sabotaging the election” after she lost the 2022 Arizona governor’s race. Richer’s office is tasked with maintaining voter files and works with Maricopa County Elections to administer elections. Richer sought unspecified nominal, compensatory and punitive damages.

“As a result of Defendants’ knowing and malicious falsehoods, Richer and his family have been the target of threats of violence, and even death, and have had their lives turned upside down,” Richer’s team said in the claim last year, which also sought damages from two Lake-aligned groups.

Neither Richer’s nor Lake’s teams disclosed the details of the settlement, which was

previously reported

by The Washington Post.

“We are pleased” the case has been settled, Lake’s lawyer Dennis Wilenchik said, noting that the settlement’s terms are confidential. It is not uncommon for settlement terms to remain private.

“The matter has been settled and was resolved to the satisfaction of both parties,” said a member of Richer’s counsel team, who also declined to share further details.

Lake, an ardent Trump ally, has

pushed false claims

that she won the 2022 election for governor and that it was stolen from her. Instead, Democrat Katie Hobbs

narrowly won

the election.

After the election, Lake falsely accused Richer of having “sabotaged” Election Day.

In March, Lake decided

not to contest her liability

See also  Demonstrators denounce Paris pro-Israel gala linked to far right

in the suit, saying in a statement on X at the time that “by participating in this lawsuit, it would only serve to legitimize this perversion of our legal system and allow bad actors to interfere in our upcoming election.”

Lake launched a Senate bid after she lost to Hobbs, but she

was d

efeated

by Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego this month. In July, Richer

was defeated

in the Republican primary for county recorder by state Rep. Justin Heap.

The Associated Press

has called the general election race for Heap, projecting that he defeated Democrat Tim Stringham.

Note: Thank you for visiting our website! We strive to keep you informed with the latest updates based on expected timelines, although please note that we are not affiliated with any official bodies. Our team is committed to ensuring accuracy and transparency in our reporting, verifying all information before publication. We aim to bring you reliable news, and if you have any questions or concerns about our content, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *