“This is about taking away our First Amendment rights and interfering in the US Senate race,” Kari Lake said.
In Maricopa County, a judge has decided to allow the defamation lawsuit against Kari Lake, a former Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate currently seeking a Senate seat, to move forward. The judge emphasized that Lake’s defense failed to present sufficient evidence for an outright dismissal based on Arizona law.
“The court is satisfied that the disputed statements – if indeed they are ‘provable’ as false or defamatory – would be undeserving of the protections associated with our First Amendment principles,” he wrote.
Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer filed a lawsuit alleging that Kari Lake and her supporters falsely accused him of intentionally printing inaccurate ballots and inserting 300,000 illegal votes in the county’s 2022 election.
. In response to the ruling, Lake voiced her opinion on X (formerly Twitter), asserting, “This is an infringement on our First Amendment rights and interference in the US Senate race. This case should have been dismissed.”
Following Lake’s accusations, Richer disclosed that he and his family encountered death threats, leading him to invest thousands of dollars in heightened home security. Stressing the significance of public service without the threat of harassment or defamation, he underscored the need for accountability for all individuals under the law.
“Working as a public servant should not lead to death threats, harassment or defamation,” Richer also said. “No one is above the rule of law in this country.”
Democrat Katie Hobbs secured victory in the 2022 gubernatorial election with a substantial margin of over 17,000 votes. Current polls suggest that Kari Lake is leading in the GOP Senate primary in Arizona.
