Maricopa County has taken decisive action by requesting sanctions against Kari Lake and her legal team following the unsuccessful challenge to her defeat in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial race. County Attorney Rachel Mitchell filed a motion for sanctions on Tuesday, immediately after Superior Court Judge Peter A. Thompson ruled against Lake’s claim that Maricopa County had not properly verified signatures on mail ballots as required by law.
The filing emphasizes that Lake and her counsel engaged in a deliberate and repetitive pattern of presenting false and misleading statements of fact in an attempt to deceive the court. Such conduct is deemed unethical and warrants sanctions according to the county’s motion.
Maricopa County is not only seeking a determination of the appropriate sanction amount from the judge but also requesting reimbursement for attorney fees and other costs incurred during the defense against Lake’s claims.
Expressing the importance of accountability, Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer stated on KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show, “These people need to suffer consequences for these continued lies and these continued attacks at important institutions.”
This lawsuit represented Lake’s final legal recourse in her efforts to overturn her defeat to Democrat Katie Hobbs. After losing by a margin of approximately 17,000 votes, Lake filed the suit, seeking either to be installed as governor or to order a new election.
Notably, Lake’s legal team had already faced sanctions earlier in the case. Last month, the Arizona Supreme Court imposed a $2,000 fine on her attorneys for making false factual statements, specifically regarding their claim that over 35,000 ballots were fraudulently inserted into the total ballot count during the appeals process.
With the motion for sanctions and attorney fee reimbursement, Maricopa County is taking a firm stance against the dissemination of false information and baseless claims, reaffirming the importance of preserving the integrity of the electoral process and the rule of law.
