The Big Lie Lives On – Arizona Courts Hear 2022 Election Denier Lawsuits

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Dec. 21, 2022

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Photo – KJZZ

Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:

Arizona Mirror – Mark Finchem’s ‘frivolous’ bid to overturn the election is booted from court
Arizona Mirror – Finchem response to motion to dismiss rife with errors, evidence-free theories
The Hill – Arizona judge dismisses most of Kari Lake’s lawsuit challenging election results
Huffington Post –Trump-Backed Election Loser Kari Lake Hints At Violence At Conservative Gathering
SUPERIOR COURT OF ARIZONA MARICOPA COUNTY – Ruling on Finchem Case

Today’s Script:  (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

The January 6th committee criminal referrals for former President Donald Trump may fuel further investigation of he and his allies, but there is still Big Lie fallout in states around the country.  This includes Arizona, which has its own election deniers in Mark Finchem & Kari Lake.   

Finchem lost his bid for Arizona Secretary of State by over 120,000 votes, but filed a suit claiming that then Secretary of State Katie Hobbs failed to certify Maricopa County’s optical ballot readers.  He asked that his election be overturned, a statewide recount be held, and that Hobbs be investigated. 

The Arizona Mirror reports that opposing counsel Craig Morgan filed a motion to dismiss, calling the case a “flimsy tantrum of conspiracy theories and outright falsities.”  The judge agreed, dismissing the case and calling it “frivolous.” 

Meanwhile, former television anchor Kari Lake, who lost to Katie Hobbs by 17,000 votes in the Arizona governor’s race, is pushing forward with a suit over her loss.  Monday, another Maricopa County judge dismissed 8 of 10 of Lake’s claims, saying that Lake must prove at the January 2nd trial that someone interfered with the printers in violation of Arizona law, causing her to lose the election.

The Huffington Post reports that Lake spoke to a crowd of conservative activists last weekend, and, ripping a page from the Trump playbook, told them that the Arizona governorship was stolen from her.  

Find links to articles on the lawsuits at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.   For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.