A year-long defamation case against Kari Lake, who falsely blamed a local Arizona election official for her 2022 defeat for governor and has sowed distrust in American election systems, has been settled.
The details of the settlement are confidential, according to two people familiar with the terms, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private settlement. A court docket in Maricopa County Superior Court stated Sunday that “an agreed upon settlement disposition has been reached as to all parties and claims.”
Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, who brought the lawsuit against Lake, her husband and others, said in a text message Sunday that “both sides are satisfied with the result.”
Richer, who sued in his personal capacity, had sought a public acknowledgment that many statements against him were untrue, as well as damages and attorney’s fees. He wanted Lake —who made election denialism a centerpiece for her 2022 campaign for the Arizona governor’s race— and her allies to take down all untrue information they posted about him from social media accounts and other websites….
The settlement came days after Lake appeared to acknowledge that she had come up short in her Senate campaign, which she lost to Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona). She has not conceded to Gallego, nor has she contested the outcome.She underperformed Trump, who won the state by a wide margin.