Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer files defamation suit against Kari Lake

PHOENIX — Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer filed a defamation suit against Kari Lake Thursday afternoon, alleging false claims following the 2022 election.

Defendants in the lawsuit include Kari Lake, Kari Lake for Arizona, and Save Arizona Fund, Inc.

The lawsuit says that after Lake lost the 2022 election, she and her campaign and fundraising entity accused Richer of intentionally sabotaging the election.

"Defendants knew or recklessly disregarded the falsity of those accusations," the lawsuit reads. "Courts at every level of the Arizona judiciary have concluded that defendants have no evidence to support their wild claims. But defendants continued to spread these egregious and harmful falsities to further their own agendas — and line their own pockets — at Richer's expense."

The claims include that Lake alleged that Richer intentionally printed 19-inch images on 20-inch ballots to sabotage the election and inserted more than 300,000 invalid ballots into the county's vote.

Richer says that he and his family have been the target of threats of violence and death as a result of Lake's claims.

In the lawsuit, Richer states that he acknowledges the protections the First Amendment provides, "but there is no constitutional right to spread intentional or reckless falsehoods that cause harm to another person."

The full lawsuit can be read below. Having trouble seeing the PDF viewer? Click here.

Kari Lake posted on Twitter following the filing.