Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake, known for promoting election conspiracy theories, is now seeking a court ruling on whether she should pay damages to Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, who sued her for defamation. This comes after Lake chose not to defend her statements in the case.
Richer, also a Republican, sued Lake last year, alleging that her persistent false allegations of election misconduct led to a barrage of threats against him and his family. The lawsuit represents Richer’s assertive approach to challenge Lake’s election claims, which have been dismissed by the courts.
On Tuesday, Lake’s legal team requested a hearing to determine the potential damages owed to Richer. In response, Richer stated that Lake and her allies had conceded. He said, “After months of defending their lies across Arizona, in the media, and on social media, when push came to shove, the Defendants decided to back down and admit their lies.”
Richer added that the false claims had led to an onslaught of threats, including calls for his execution, loss of close personal relationships, and irreparable damage to his reputation. He reiterated his belief that no one is above the law.
However, a spokesperson for Lake maintained that she did not surrender but instead demanded a hearing within 30 days and proof of how her statements caused damages to Richer.
Lake’s decision to disengage from the lawsuit comes as she seeks to appeal to more moderate voters in the upcoming critical contest to succeed retiring Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. Lake’s advisers have urged her to tone down her inflammatory rhetoric on the 2020 election, which many believe cost her the 2022 gubernatorial race.
Despite this, Lake continues to assert her election fraud claims. At a recent rally, she vowed to continue challenging her 2022 election loss and echoed former President Donald Trump’s claims that Democrats plan to use undocumented immigrants to aid them at the polls.
In a video posted on Tuesday, Lake labeled the lawsuit against her as “frivolous” and a “political witch hunt,” comparing it to the legal troubles faced by Trump. She accused the Washington political establishment of using lawsuits to keep her and Trump off the campaign trail.
Last month, the state Supreme Court rejected Lake’s attempt to delay the case, setting it on course for discovery and trial. Lake’s legal team stated that it would be a “misnomer” to interpret their request for a default judgment hearing as an admission to the allegations in the lawsuit.
This story will be updated with additional information as it becomes available.