Republican Kari Lake was slapped with a defamation suit on Thursday from Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer (R) regarding remarks she made concerning her defeat in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election.

(Video Credit: LiveNOW from FOX)

Richer issued a statement announcing the lawsuit, claiming that his life was forever “altered” by her comments about him.

“I’m suing Kari Lake. I’d hoped the defamation would stop after the election. I waited. I’d hoped it would stop after the first election trial. I waited. I’d hoped it would stop after the appeal. I waited. I’d hoped it would stop after the second trial. I waited. I’d hoped it would stop after she got a new job. I waited. But then I realized I AM the job. Defaming me is her path to campaign donations, speaking opportunities, and national trips,” he charged.

The election official went on to state that although he lived “a very lucky, wonderful” life, “these defamatory statements have altered my life. For the worse. Materially.”

“And just because I live a great life doesn’t mean I have to sit back while somebody says false things about me and says I did truly horrible things — things that multiple courts found to be false,” Richer asserted. “I wish it would have stopped on its own. But it didn’t. So today I’m suing Kari Lake to hopefully put an end to the false statements.”

I’m suing Kari Lake.

I’d hoped the defamation would stop after the election. I waited.

I’d hoped it would stop after the first election trial. I waited.

I’d hoped it would stop after the appeal. I waited.

I’d hoped it would stop after the second trial. I waited.

I’d…

— Stephen Richer—Maricopa Cnty Recorder (prsnl acct) (@stephen_richer) June 22, 2023

The defamation lawsuit contends that Lake and her gubernatorial campaign falsely accused Richer of having “sabotaged the election to prevent Republican candidates, including Lake, from winning.”

According to The Washington Post, following the accusations from Lake, Richer says he was “assigned a security detail by county law enforcement in response to threats and harassing communications.”

The media outlet also reported that Richer “now rarely attends political functions held by grass-roots GOP activists, many of whom remain convinced of malfeasance.”

Stephen Richer’s ill-advised lawsuit against Kari Lake inspired me to make a donation to the Save Arizona Fund. The entertainment value I expect to emerge from that litigation will be more than worth it.

— Mark Mendlovitz (@MendlovitzMark) June 23, 2023

“Rather than accept political defeat, rather than get a new job, she has sought to undermine confidence in our elections and has mobilized millions of her followers against me,” Richer whined in an op-ed in The Arizona Republic.

The suit addresses two claims in particular. The first is that Richer intentionally had 19-inch ballot images printed on 20-inch paper, causing counting problems, and the second one is that he injected 300,000 bogus ballots. It details nearly three dozen times Lake allegedly made the claims publicly on social media or at rallies and news conferences.

The suit also asserts that Richer has faced death threats, including one that was prosecuted by the US Justice Department, and that he has spent thousands of dollars on home security to protect himself and his family. He said he and his wife have altered their routines and law enforcement has stepped up patrols around their home and workplaces because of the threats.

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Let’s expose these corrupt men behind our elections so our Republic has a shot at survival https://t.co/rSzvdeM2Hq

— Kari Lake (@KariLake) June 23, 2023

“She has gone far outside of the bounds of protected free speech as guaranteed under the First Amendment and the Arizona Constitution,” Richer wrote.

Lake has gone after Richer for what she contends is his involvement in purported election fraud since she was defeated in the 2022 gubernatorial election by a slim margin. She reportedly shows a photo of Richer at rallies where he receives loud jeers over it.

.@KariLake, for third time, shows photo of Maricopa Co officials Bill Gates and Stephen Richer—baselessly accuses them of lying about Election Day printer problems. Crowd jeers https://t.co/DTUHN2uyOQ pic.twitter.com/mZ4AH6UrUr

— YvonneWingettSanchez (@yvonnewingett) January 30, 2023

Lake appeared on Newsmax’s “The Balance” with Eric Bolling following the announcement of the lawsuit. She did not mention the pending legal action but did take a poke at “people with Rs behind their name,” whom she asserted were “totally opposed to a candidate who wants to put America First,” despite their Republican affiliation.

(Video Credit: Newsmax)

Lake is a staunch supporter of former President Trump and is seen as a possible running mate choice for his ticket in 2024.

This would be funny if it wasn’t so true. 81 Million Votes, My Ass pic.twitter.com/WCAfppPmyX

— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) June 10, 2023

People Magazine is claiming that Lake “practically lives in” Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and “is there every night” as she jockeys for the vice presidency.

“She wants something bigger, fast, to compensate for her loss in Arizona,” an unnamed source told People in what smacks of a smear campaign against Lake.

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