Kari Lake continues to defame me. Here's why I'm suing her for it
Opinion: Kari Lake and her campaign must be held accountable for their utter disregard for the truth and the harm their words have caused.
For the last seven months, a high-profile former statewide candidate for office — from my own political party — has spread falsehoods about our elections and about me specifically.
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.
Her defamatory allegations have unleashed violent vitriol and other dire consequences.
She has gone far outside of the bounds of protected free speech as guaranteed under the First Amendment and the Arizona Constitution.
That’s why I’m suing Kari Lake, her campaign and her political action committee for engaging in a concerted campaign to defame, threaten and isolate me.
The defamation lawsuit was filed on June 22 in Maricopa County Superior Court.
Kari Lake has made repeated false claims
Following her loss in the November 2022 election, Lake alleged that I intentionally printed 19-inch images on 20-inch ballots for the purposes of sabotaging the election.
If that wasn’t enough, she also asserted that I inserted more than 300,000 invalid ballots into the county’s vote count to “steal” the election from her.
Both allegations are completely false.
Not only would I obviously never do the things that she accuses me of, but also as a matter of Arizona law and election administration processes, I don’t even have responsibility for — or jurisdiction over — the printing of ballots on Election Day.
Lake has continued to repeat these falsehoods, despite multiple court rulings that found her attacks to be unfounded.
Her words brought death threats, lost friends
Through her actions and statements, Lake has irreparably damaged my personal and professional life and reputation.
I’ve even lost friends and lifelong relationships because Lake has falsely painted me as a criminal.
She has cast doubt on my loyalty to our country, our state and my office.
She did this knowing that it would only throw gasoline on the fire of falsehoods about our elections.
Lake has not sent me into hiding. Nor will she ever.
But her defamatory statements have irrevocably altered my life, closed opportunities and damaged relationships.
That goes beyond free speech protections
I firmly believe in the protections we’re all afforded under the First Amendment, which is something so unique and beautiful about being an American.
We all have the right to express ourselves, our thoughts and our opinions publicly.
That’s why this case is not about the mis- and disinformation — and even hatred — that Lake, her campaign and her PAC have spewed about me.
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Instead, it’s about the instances where Lake and her campaign entities chose to violate defamation law by repeatedly making specific untruthful statements alleging that I had committed heinous crimes.
Slinging mud is fair game, but Arizona law and the First Amendment draw a line at defamation.
False statements that damage others distort the marketplace of ideas and harm others’ ability to exercise their own free speech rights.
Lake's words haven't just impacted me
I’m asking a court to clear my name, declare the defendants’ statements false, order them to retract their defamatory statements, and compensate me for the harm that they have caused.
But that’s not all this case is about.
It’s also about my wife, who has had her work interrupted and has had security concerns forced upon her because of Lake’s statements.
It’s about a county election worker who now carries a firearm after she was stalked by people accusing her of “stealing an election.”
It’s about a tabulation worker who lost contact with his parents because they believe he’s a criminal for doing his job.
It’s about hundreds of law enforcement officers who have been kept from their duties to fortify and protect our elections.
It’s about the thousands of election workers who have left the field after being harassed or worse, simply because they chose to help Americans vote.
She must be held accountable for this speech
This case is about a losing candidate for office refusing to accept the will of the voters and, instead, spreading malicious falsehoods to raise money and garner attention.
Those falsehoods not only undermine confidence in our elections and our democracy, but they also cause harm to real people — like me.
Our country is built on the idea that regardless of stature, title or wealth, no one is above the law.
Our laws must be followed and enforced even among those who run for and hold office.
All of us as individuals are responsible for our own words and actions, and there is no exception for losers of elections.
I filed this lawsuit to make sure that Lake, her campaign and her PAC are held accountable for their utter disregard for the truth and the grave harm they have caused.
Stephen Richer, a Republican, is the Maricopa County recorder. On Twitter:@stephen_richer