Attorneys representing Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake have taken the step of relinquishing a defamation case against her.
They have made the decision to not challenge the accusations that she defamed a state election worker following the 2022 election.
In a legal battle that unfolded last year, Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer (R) took legal action against Lake, accusing her of defamation.
The lawsuit stemmed from Lake’s refusal to accept her loss in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial race and her claims of election fraud.
The lawsuit alleges that Lake consistently and systematically made false statements about Richer’s conduct as recorder, resulting in him being subjected to harassment and numerous threats to his safety.
According to Richer, Lake made unsubstantiated allegations of stuffing ballot boxes with 300,000 invalid votes and intentionally creating confusion on the ballot as the recorder.
In a recent court filing, there is no dispute over Richer’s claims. The filing also seeks an expedited hearing to assess the extent of damages.
Richer tried to present the filing as an acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
Lake is running against Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) for the seat of the retiring Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I).
Gallego holds a slight lead over Lake in early polls, making this race a crucial battleground for both parties in the battle for Senate control.
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