Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake is heading to trial after a judge allowed two out of 10 of her election lawsuit claims to move forward Monday.
Lake had brought forward a civil complaint earlier this month to overturn her 2022 midterm election loss against Democrat Katie Hobbs. Judge Peter Thompson decided that two claims, one regarding her allegations about illegal tabulator configurations and the other about violations pertaining to ballot chain of custody, can move forward.
KARI LAKE PREVIEWS LEGAL FIGHT OVER ARIZONA ELECTION RESULTS: ‘IT’S GOING TO BE REAL UGLY’
“Our Election Case is going to trial. Katie Hobbs attempt to have our case thrown out FAILED. She will have to take the stand & testify. Buckle up, America. This is far from over,” Lake beamed on Twitter.
BREAKING: Our Election Case is going to trial. Katie Hobbs attempt to have our case thrown out FAILED. She will have to take the stand & testify.
Buckle up, America.
This is far from over. pic.twitter.com/291EnXPP3U— Kari Lake (@KariLake) December 20, 2022
To be successful in her lawsuit, Lake’s legal team must prove that “printer malfunctions were intentional, and directed to affect the results of the election, and that such actions did actually affect the outcome,” according to the judge. She must also show that the lack of chain of custody was “both intentional and did in fact result in a changed outcome.”
Lake had seized on voting printer malfunctions in Maricopa County during the midterm election and procedural issues surrounding the execution of the election in her lawsuit as evidence that the midterm cycle was rife with malfeasance.
In the claim about tabulator configurations, she alleged that malfunctioning printers in Maricopa County left them vulnerable to hacking and blamed the situation on “intentional action.” In the second claim, she alleged that there were breaches of policy for the chain of custody of ballots.
“Plaintiff argues that: 1) the ability of employees of the county’s ballot contractor to add ballots of family members and 2) the lack of an Inbound Receipt of Delivery form both constitute misconduct,” Thompson explained.
Among the claims that were dismissed were violation of freedom of speech, invalid signatures on mail-in ballots, equal protection, due process, secrecy clause, incorrect certification, inadequate remedy, and constitutional rights claims.
Hobbs bested Lake 1,287,891 votes to 1,270,774, according to the results certified in the state Capitol. But Lake has refused to concede she lost legitimately, taking a page from her denialism of former President Donald Trump’s election loss.
Her suit was filed in the Superior Court for the State of Arizona and in and for Maricopa County.
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Maricopa County officials have long rejected allegations from Lake and others of election impropriety in the 2020 or 2022 elections.
“The court system is the proper place for campaigns challenging the results to make their case. Maricopa County respects the election contest process and looks forward to sharing facts about the administration of the 2022 General Election and our work to ensure every legal voter had an opportunity to cast their ballot,” the county said in a statement.
