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Gail Collins: Hey, Bret, we just hit April Fools’ Day. Lake isn’t even bothering to defend herself on the substance of the suit and has asked the court to move directly to the damages phase. I hope the court takes the Fake out of Lake with a whopping judgment in Richer’s favor. Current subject is the business dealings of Joe’s son Hunter, a road we’ve been down a trillion times before. Bret: Hey, think of all the fun we’ll have when Democrats return the favor by investigating Javanka, Don Jr. and Eric when Donald Trump is — gulp — back in office.

Persons: Gail Collins, Bret, Bret Stephens, Kari Lake, Kyrsten, Stephen Richer, Richer, isn’t, Richer’s, Gail, James Comer, who’s, Joe Biden, Joe’s, Hunter, Javanka, Don Jr, Eric, Donald Trump Organizations: Trump, U.S, Senate, Republican Locations: Arizona, Maricopa County

On Tuesday, lawyers for Ms. Lake indicated she would not dispute the facts of a defamation lawsuit that Stephen Richer, the Maricopa County recorder, had filed against her. But they seem to be more durable and pervasive in Maricopa County, home to Phoenix, riling up residents long after campaigns have closed up shop. Credit... Rebecca Noble for The New York TimesThe numbers back up Arizona’s outsize role in election fraud claims. At a news conference on Monday, Gary M. Restaino, the U.S. attorney for Arizona, said seven of the nation’s roughly 18 federal cases regarding election threats involved people targeting Arizona election officials, though the suspects are not Arizonans. Image Bill Gates, a Maricopa County supervisor, during Arizona’s primary presidential election in Phoenix earlier in March.

Persons: Joseph R, Biden, Donald J, Kari Lake, Trump, baselessly, hasn’t, Lake, Stephen Richer, Richer, —, ”, Joshua Garland, Rebecca Noble, Gary M, “, Mr, Restaino, Lake’s, ” Mr, they’re, Katie Hobbs, Bill Gates, Gates, Lake —, ‘, ’ ‘, ’ ”, “ It’s Organizations: Republican, Arizona State University, “, The New York Times, Arizona, U.S, Supreme, Lake’s Democratic, Mr, Republicans Locations: Arizona, Maricopa, Maricopa County, Phoenix, Georgia, U.S, . Credit, Gitmo

PHOENIX (AP) — Kari Lake, a Republican Senate candidate in Arizona who says she lost a 2022 race for governor because of fraud, is declining to defend against a defamation lawsuit filed by a top election official. The court had already rejected her motion to dismiss the case, and the Arizona Supreme Court declined to take her appeal. While declining to defend her statements in court, Lake maintains she was truthful and says she wants to avoid spending time and money on a protracted legal process. Richer's lawsuit, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, names Lake, her husband, her campaign and her political fundraising group as defendants. It details nearly three dozen times she made the claims publicly on social media or at rallies and news conferences.

Persons: — Kari Lake, Stephen Richer, Richer, ” Richer, ” Lake, she'd, Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Giuliani Organizations: PHOENIX, Republican, Republican Maricopa, Arizona Supreme, GOP, Associated Press, Phoenix, Arizona, Trump, Court, Justice Department Locations: Arizona, Republican Maricopa County, Washington, Georgia, Maricopa County, Lake

CNN —Kari Lake, a Republican Senate candidate from Arizona who has advanced election conspiracy theories, is asking a judge to decide whether she must pay damages to a top county election official who sued her for defamation – after opting not to defend her statements in the case. Richer and Lake are both Republicans, and his lawsuit marked an aggressive step by Richer to confront Lake’s election claims – which have been rejected by the courts. In a statement, Richer said Lake and her allies had capitulated. Her Senate campaign received a boost earlier this year when, after months of behind the scenes lobbying, the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm endorsed her. Lake, however, has not completely backed down on her election fraud claims.

Persons: Kari Lake, Stephen Richer, Richer, Lake’s, –, Lake, “, ”, “ Kari didn’t, Sen, Kyrsten Sinema, Sinema, Republicans ’, Donald Trump’s Organizations: CNN, Republican, Lake –, Arizona, Lawyers, Advisers, Senate, Republicans, The New York Times Locations: Arizona, Maricopa County, Richer, Washington

I really do,” Lake told an adoring crowd of Michigan Republicans gathering last month on Mackinac Island. Lake will launch a U.S. Senate campaign for an Arizona seat in a splashy Scottsdale rally on Tuesday, having never conceded that she lost last year's race for Arizona governor. She is trying out new messages and courting the support of national Republicans she’s insulted in the past. That worries some Republicans who fear she will cost them a race that could decide control of the Senate. But Lake became a national figure on the far right with her television appearances and her defense of Trump's election falsehoods.

Persons: — Kari Lake, Who's, ” Lake, Republicans she’s, Donald Trump, Kari Lake, ”, Chris Baker, Kentucky Sen, Mitch McConnell, Lake, she's, Sen, Kyrsten Sinema, Sinema, Ruben Gallego, Steve Daines, Daines, Trump, Steve Bannon, John McCain, Katie Hobbs, Stephen Richer, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, Lake demurred, “, McConnell, Chuck Schumer, Schumer, It’s, Ted Cruz, ’, Steve Peoples, Linley Sanders Organizations: PHOENIX, Michigan Republicans, U.S, Senate, Arizona, Republicans, Kentucky, National Republican, GOP, U.S . Rep, Democratic, National Republican Senatorial Committee, “, Associated Press, AP VoteCast, Trump, Arizona Supreme, Republican, Arizona Republicans, Pinal County Sheriff, September's Republican, Democrats, AP, McConnell Locations: Michigan, Mackinac, Arizona, Scottsdale, an Arizona, Montana, Washington, California, America, ”, Phoenix, Iowa, Maricopa County, Pinal County, Ted Cruz of Texas, New York

☆ Kari Lake loses suit over her defeat in Arizona governor’s race
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

In a decision Saturday, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson, who was appointed by then-Republican Gov. While most of the other election deniers around the country conceded after losing their races in November, Lake has not. Lawyers for Lake focused on problems with ballot printers at some polling places in Maricopa County, home to more than 60% of Arizona’s voters. The defective printers produced ballots that were too light to be read by the on-site tabulators at polling places. Earlier on Friday, another judge dismissed Republican Abraham Hamadeh’s challenge of results in his race against Democrat Kris Mayes for Arizona attorney general.

☆ Kari Lake loses lawsuit over her defeat in Arizona governor’s race
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Republican candidate for Arizona Governor Kari Lake speaks at the Republican Party of Arizona's 2022 U.S. midterm elections night rally in Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S., November 8, 2022. In a decision Saturday, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson, who was appointed by then-Republican Gov. While most of the other election deniers around the country conceded after losing their races in November, Lake has not. The defective printers produced ballots that were too light to be read by the on-site tabulators at polling places. Earlier on Friday, another judge dismissed Republican Abraham Hamadeh's challenge of results in his race against Democrat Kris Mayes for Arizona attorney general.

A judge on Monday dismissed most of a lawsuit filed by Kari Lake, the GOP candidate who lost Arizona’s governor race in November, but allowed her to go to trial with a pair of claims challenging Democratic Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs’ victory. Thompson did not take a position on the validity of the two claims, but said Lake should be allowed to present her case. Lake asked a court to toss Maricopa County's results to declare her the winner or hold another vote in the county. In his decision, the judge dismissed eight of Lake’s claims, including Lake’s allegation that Hobbs and Richer attempted to censor her by flagging her social media posts containing baseless election claims for removal. Lake is a prominent booster of Trump’s false claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election.

☆ Republican Kari Lake files lawsuit in bid to overturn Arizona election
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Kari Lake, the GOP candidate who lost Arizona's governor race in November, filed a lawsuit Friday challenging certification of the state's election results and seeking a court order that declares her the winner. The 70-page lawsuit from Lake, a prominent election denier and Trump ally, contains numerous inaccuracies about the election won by Democratic Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs, Arizona's secretary of state. “Lake received the greatest number of votes and is entitled to be named the winner,” the lawsuit states. “Kari Lake needs attention like a fish needs water — and independent experts and local election officials of both parities have made clear that this was a sage, secure, and fair election,” Hobbs’ campaign manager said. “Arizonans made their voices heart and elected Katie Hobbs as their governor.

☆ Fact Check-Election Day turnout numbers do not account for Arizona early voting
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Data showing low Democratic turnout on Election Day does not account for early mail-in and ballot drop-off votes. One of the Uplift charts, titled “Maricopa County E-Day Check Ins,” shows 16.6% Democrat, 30.7% Other, and 52.7% Republican check ins at Election Day in Maricopa County. These included 250,000 (16%) in-person votes on Election Day, 290,000 (19%) early ballot drop-offs on Election Day and 1.02 million (65%) early ballots before Election Day. “The short answer to why this is incorrect is the data is from primary election day 8/2/2022,” Almy said. “Voters in the primary have no relevance to the general election.”Megan Gilbertson, communications director for Maricopa County, said “Maricopa County has not asserted either of the claims stated that article.”VERDICTMissing context.

☆ Arizona attorney general wants report on voting machine problems
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Arizona Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich's office has demanded that Maricopa County officials provide a report on the voting machine problems that caused some delays in the battleground state during this month's midterm elections. A letter dated Saturday by Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Wright calls for county officials to report by Nov. 28 on the specific problems related to the printers at each location as well on how poll workers were trained. Blake Masters lost to Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, and Kari Lake lost the governor's race to Democrat Katie Hobbs. Lake has yet to concede and continues to make unsubstantiated claims about election improprieties on her Twitter feed. Reporting by Chris Gallagher in Washington; Editing by Scott Malone and Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Although prominent election deniers in critical battleground states lost at the polls, their movement has had far-reaching impact. In reality, the livestream app suffered a glitch that caused the cameras to stop working, county officials said in a statement after investigating the blackout. IN ARIZONA, BOOSTING SECURITYIn Arizona's Maricopa County, election officials strengthened doors, added shatterproof film on windows and stationed a security guard in the ballot-counting room. In Georgia's Gwinnett County, which includes part of the greater Atlanta area, election officials held planning meetings with local law enforcement to beef up security, Elections Supervisor Zach Manifold told Reuters. The plan included keeping sheriff's officers on site for longer to ensure election staff felt safe, he said.

☆ Fact Check-As printing issue affected some tabulators in Maricopa County, officials say backup options were available for voters
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Reuters also reported that a Republican request to extend voting in Maricopa County was rejected on Tuesday night. AVAILABLE ALTERNATIVESIn a statement to Reuters on Nov. 8, the Maricopa County Elections Department said that if voters experienced issues with tabulators, they "have a number of options to choose from" (here). The Maricopa County Elections Department explained the process in a tweet (here). Mercer County in New Jersey also reported issues with voting machines scanners on Nov. 8(here) (bit.ly/3zYGFqT). VERDICTThere is no evidence that issues affecting voting machines in Maricopa County led to fraud.

☆ Voting machine problems in battleground Arizona seized on by Trump, election deniers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Tim Reid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Richer called the malfunctions "disappointing" and correctly predicted that election deniers and conspiracists such as Trump would "exploit" the issue. The state's Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, who has echoed Trump's false claims of a stolen 2020 election, also seized on the machine problems, issuing a "voter alert" on her Twitter account. Trump, Lake and other election deniers have been calling for the end of electronic voting machines, Election Day-only voting, and the use of just paper ballots and hand counts, a process that is time-consuming, costly and far less accurate than machine counting. The machine malfunctions fueled distrust among many Republican voters in Arizona that fraud was involved, especially after Trump issued a statement on his Truth Social platform. "Reports are coming in from Arizona that the Voting Machines are not properly working in predominately Republican/Conservative areas," Trump said, adding: "Here we go again?

☆ Officials in key Arizona county combat misinformation, election security fears a day before midterms
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Rocio Fabbro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Key county officials refuted misinformation about vote counting spreading on Twitter, among other platforms. "We're here in Maricopa County, we've got residents of Maricopa County that are trying to do the right thing and understand what the truth is, and a lot of this misinformation is being spread by people who don't even live here in Maricopa County," Gates said. For the past two years, Maricopa County has been ramping up efforts to combat misinformation, which has especially affected the area. Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone said the county is "committed to protect the free vote in a republic." As of Monday morning, the Maricopa County recorder's office received 974,760 early voting packets and signature verified 965,000 of those, according to county Recorder Stephen Richer.

[1/3] Eliza Luna, a ballot designer with the Maricopa County Elections Department, counts ballots for the Arizona Presidential Preference Election at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., March 17, 2020. Between July 11 and Aug. 22, the county election office documented at least 140 threats and other hostile communications, the records show. Maricopa officials appeared at times overwhelmed by threatening posts on social media and right-wing message boards calling for workers to be executed or hung. Eight people face federal charges for threats, including two who targeted Maricopa County officials. The county election director had instructed him to shut down the server for delivery to the Arizona State Senate in response to a subpoena.

☆ Election officials combat voter intimidation across U.S. as extremist groups post armed militia at some polls
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Rocio Fabbro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Instead they are leading to voter intimidation complaints," Maricopa County election officials Bill Gates and Stephen Richer said in a joint statement the next day. But its presence caused unease among Maricopa County voters, who saw these "drop box watchers" as a blatant attempt at voter intimidation. Fears about voter intimidation and suppression have been brewing nationwide since the 2020 presidential election, when Trump refused to accept his loss and accused several states of voter fraud. Two in five U.S. voters said they were worried about threats of violence or voter intimidation at the polls, according to a new Reuters/Ipso poll. "There's an alarming rise in the number of people in this country condoning political violence or simply remaining silent," Biden said.

But the door knockers didn't explain where to vote or promote a candidate, the usual work of canvassers ahead of a big election. At another, they listed names of registered voters and demanded to know if they still lived at the address. In at least one state, Michigan, they plan to use their list of alleged irregularities to challenge voters in the Nov. 8 election. Reuters identified at least 23 state-wide or local efforts where canvassers may have crossed the line into intimidation, according to election officials and voting rights lawyers. This August, people affiliated with USEIP were also canvassing in La Plata County, according to the county clerk.

☆ Top Arizona election official refers more cases of potential voter intimidation to law enforcement
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs has referred six reports of possible voter intimidation to law enforcement in the past week, as well as an allegation of harassment of an election worker, her office said Monday. The cases were referred to the state attorney general’s office and the U.S. Justice Department for further investigation. Early voting got underway Oct. 12 in the battleground state, where Hobbs is the Democratic nominee for governor. Hobbs’ office said it also referred a report of election worker harassment to law enforcement Saturday. The case is being pursued by the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, which was launched in June 2021.

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